Active Launceston launched in 2008 as a community driven partnership striving to improve the health and wellbeing of Launceston residents.

The program’s founder and ongoing project manager Lucy Byrne of Healthy Tasmania said she had been overwhelmed by the community impacts the project has delivered, along with the personal stories it has revealed.

“It’s been a labour of love,” she said.

“But I think my best skill is surrounding myself with great people.”

Gus Mac is one of those stories, and is incredibly thankful for the program and the confidence it gave him to turn his life experiences into practical self-defense lessons he could share with others.

“Hayden and Lucy have helped me find what my true passion is,” he said.

“If I hadn’t have met these guys I wouldn’t have found that.”

City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the benefits of the project were crucial to the community.

“It’s amazing we’ve been supporting this for 10 years now,” he said.

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