January to March 2026
January to March Update
Happy New Year TCG Community! I hope you had a safe and happy festive period and had some time to rest and recover. After a good couple of weeks of holidays, we’re excited to be back for another ripper year!
Do you have something you would like shared with our community? Submit requests for this newsletter by emailing Saskia via info@thecompaniongroup.org
Contents:
👋Welcome to 2026
💭General feedback and suggestions survey
🐶New office member
🏈2026 TCG Footy Tipping Competition
💒Wedding Bells at The Companion Group
🐕Paws for GAWS
⛹️♀️Festival of sport
📸Wildlife Photographer of the Year
🏑Free Hockey Sessions
Welcome to 2026
A new year with new community members, new opportunities, and new changes to the NDIS, but always with the same companionship that you’re used to. Every year we aim to top the last year, and this year I have no doubt we’ll achieve it again.
This year, it’s time to renew our NDIS registration with an external audit, scheduled for late May. If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll know this isn’t our first time. We always welcome feedback and are proud to say that we’ve sailed through previous audits with ease.
However we won’t be the only SIL provider going through the registration process this year, as the NDIS announced late December that there will be mandatory registration for all SIL providers and platforms starting July 2026. If you currently engage with an unregistered provider, please reach out to them to ensure they have a plan in place.
Aside from the thrills of compliance, we have lots of plans for this year, starting out with building our community, improving our quality of service, expanding our offering and demonstrating why you made the right choice by choosing The Companion Group.
Wishing you all the best for this year, don’t be a stranger!
Do you have an idea that you’d like us to consider? Or perhaps some constructive feedback that we could benefit from?
Please consider spending 5 minutes to submit some feedback below!
Meet Lola - our newest office member!
From time to time this year whilst on a call with Kirsten you may hear a little yelp or bark in the background.
Nothing to fear, this will just be "Lola" Kirsten's new Groodle puppy (12 weeks old) who joined her family whilst she was on annual leave.
Lola loves napping most of the day in Kirsten's office, chicken treats, bird watching outside in her playpen and playing with her toys with her "baby shark teeth".
Kirsten reports that life with Lola has been super busy, but lots of fun and Lola has brought much joy to her life. They are both looking forward to starting puppy school soon and many walks ahead exploring Geelong and the surf coast.
Join the TCG Footy Tipping 2026 Competition!
The 2026 AFL season is just around the corner, and TCG wants to celebrate with a bit of friendly competition.
How to join:
Go to iTipFooty and register a user account if you don't already have one.
Login with your user account (or create a new account) and click the 'JOIN COMP' button.
Enter Comp # 132123 and Password Companion2026
Click 'Join Comp'
You’re now ready to enter your tips!
More info to come, stay tuned!
Congratulations to the happy couples!
Love is truly in the air, and we are so excited to share that we’ve recently celebrated three beautiful weddings within the TCG community!
A heartfelt congratulations to Bryce, Eden, and Rach, who have each said “I do” and begun this incredible new journey with their partners. What a special season it has been, filled with love, joy, and wonderful celebrations.
We are absolutely thrilled for you all and wish you a lifetime of happiness, laughter, and unforgettable moments as you step into this next chapter together. 💕
Paws for GAWS 2026
Join Geelong Animal Welfare Society on Sunday March 1, 2026, for a vibrant celebration of our four-legged friends, our community, and our shared commitment to animal welfare in our region.
Enjoy a 4km walk with your furry friend, plus a buzzing event hub with music, food, and family friendly activities.
You’ll see familiar faces, market stalls, a Pooch Parade, and even shelter dogs looking for their forever homes.
By "paws-ing" with us, you're not just participating in a fun-filled event, you're making a tangible difference in the lives of homeless animals in our local community.
Don’t miss it – register online today
Festival of Sport
Start your Labour Day long weekend down at Kardinia Park.
Get batting, kicking, rolling, stretching, jumping, skipping, bowling…and everything in between at the Festival of Sport 2026.
The twilight festival will feature activities inside GMHBA Stadium, in the Barwon Regional Cricket Centre, in the Joel Selwood Stand and outside in Djilang Plaza.
In its short history, the Festival of Sport has become a favourite on the Geelong events calendar with an array of family-friendly activities and entertainment.
Celebrate the diversity of sport in our region, active recreation and healthy lifestyles with opportunities to ‘come and try’ something new.
When: 06 March 2026, 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Where: Kardinia Park Wadawurrung Country, 354 Moorabool Street, South Geelong
Cost: Free
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The world-renowned exhibition, now in its sixty-first year and on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, will be opening at the National Wool Museum soon, featuring some of the most exceptional nature photography taken today from across the globe.
The exhibition shines a light on powerful and fascinating images that capture hidden animal behaviour, spectacular species and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world. Using photography's unique emotive power to engage and inspire audiences, the images share stories and species from around the world, encouraging a future of advocating for the planet.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind. Launching in 1965, today the competition receives entries from 113 countries and territories all over the world, highlighting its enduring appeal. This year’s award-winning images will embark on an international tour that will allow them to be seen by well over a million people.
When: 05 December 2025 to 17 May 2026
Where: National Wool Museum Wadawurrung Country, 26-32 Moorabool Street, Geelong
Cost: Adult $13, Child $7, Concession $10
Free Hockey Sessions
Geelong Saints Hockey Club is inviting new junior players aged 7–12 to pick up a stick and try hockey this March.
As part of a City of Greater Geelong Community Grant, the club is hosting four free “Stick with Hockey” training sessions. The grant supports inclusion, health and wellbeing, and covers equipment, coaching and snacks, so there are no upfront costs.
Sessions will run Wednesdays March 4, 11, 18 and 25, from 5pm to 6pm at the Geelong Hockey Centre, Stead Park, Corio. The program is open to beginners and kids who have tried hockey at school.
Dedicated coaches from the club’s senior women’s team will lead the sessions, focusing on basic skills, fitness and rules in a fun, supportive environment. The program also provides a pathway into the winter and summer seasons, as well as local tournaments.
For more information or to RSVP for catering, contact Lyndal at saints.recruitment@hotmail.com.
