FAMILIES and community and sporting groups from across the Whitsunday region are continuing to be part of two strong initiatives for the month of May.

Last week, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre (WNC), Proserpine Community Centre, Whitsunday Crisis and Counselling Service (WCCS) and Y Factor Youth Committee, joined forces for a community barbeque in Proserpine's Spalla Park, in aid of National Families Week and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

More than 50 people attended the event, which included music by the Baby Bloomers, games and quizzes, a lolly drop, sausage sizzle and a local services information stall.

WNC family support worker Sandra Kelly said National Families Week was celebrated around Australia as a time to spend with family, make contact with extended family and share in the enjoyment of family activities within the wider community.

She said the theme for National Families Week 2014 was 'Stronger Families - Stronger Communities', which highlighted the critical role that families played in building stronger communities.

"As National Families Week coincided with Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, which also runs in May, services and groups joined [together] to organise the local event, [which] was enjoyed by community members and was considered a success by organisers, regardless of rain," she said.

Participants also took advantage of the free whistles and lanyards, available as part of this year's anti-domestic violence campaign, centred around blowing the whistle and making the call.

WCCS CEO Carmen Bekker said the campaign had been so well received, it was expected to run again next year, even receiving recognition from the minister for community, child safety and disability services.

A letter from the minister's policy advisor to WCCS said the minister was "very impressed by the simple yet effective way" in which WCCS had built on the campaign.

"Your efforts are getting noticed," the letter said.