Kicking off back in the late 70s the Newtown Festival has, 39 years later, firmly embedded itself into the calendar of beloved Sydney events. Everyone adores the music, food, stalls and the writers tent and of course the dog show – but the festival is much more than that.

It’s the major fundraiser for the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre (NNC) who provide frontline services for people doing it tough all around the Inner West.

Liz Yeo  is the CEO of the NNC and she spoke with us about the importance of the NNC, and Newtown Festival by extension, for the community.