Parkes Phoenix Editor

The Life Pharmacy Group, including Flannery’s Pharmacy and Life Pharmacy in Forbes, have committed to raising funds to build a school in Nepal.

“With everything happening around the world I’m sure everyone would agree that we are indeed very fortunate to call Australia home,” said pharmacy owner Michael Flannery.

“As a business, we have been thinking about what we can do to make a lasting impact for change in 2018 and from that was born our ‘Let’s build a new Life Pharmacy Group – School – Change for Change’ school project appeal.”

While the Himalaya region is known to the Western World as a vast adventure playground for trekkers and mountaineers alike, for the local communities, life is anything but easy – with access to basic health and education services often well out of reach.

Without access to a quality education, children in remote communities like the Everest or Solukhumbu region of Nepal remain deprived of the life skills and knowledge gained from education.

“In response to this we are working directly in partnership with the Australian Himalayan Foundation and its flagship Teacher Training and Quality Education (TTQE) program that operates in the poorest region of rural Nepal,” said Michael. “Helping to ensure that post the earthquake all children have access first and foremost to a school and importantly an education.”

They say that by giving the gift of education you can change a generation. The devastating earthquakes in Nepal resulted in 9,000 deaths and injured over 20,000 people.

“The Life Pharmacy Group would like to help rebuild their lives by making a permanent impact in their community by raising much needed funds for a new school,” said Michael, “but we need help from our local communities here in Australia.”

Importantly, the rebuild project will also ensure that the school be made with a steel foundation and structure, becoming a safer shelter for the children and their community.

“The Forbes community is always extremely generous and the whole concept is ‘change for change’ so it doesn’t need to be a huge donation,” said Flannery’s Business Manager, Debbie Prior. “If you would like to help us raise funds for this worthwhile cause, you can donate at either Life Pharmacy or Flannery’s Pharmacy.”

Grace Allen, the 49th Forbes Showgirl will be representing our town on Saturday, 17th February in Blayney at the Zone 6 Regional Showgirl Finals.

Grace will be interviewed by three judges on the morning of the 17th. She will then attend a lunch with all the other entrants (17 girls in total) and the judges. A presentation dinner will be held that evening which will complete the judging process. All the girls will be interviewed on stage in front of their invited family and friends, ASC and RAS delegates and the judges.

At the conclusion of the evening, the three winners will be announced. Each of these women will then proceed to the state finals of the Land Royal Showgirl competition in Sydney at the Easter Show on Sunday, 25th March 2018.

Grace has attended many local shows following Forbes’ show last year. She has genuinely embraced the whole concept of ‘Showgirl’. She has also contacted many past and present showgirls and those involved in the movement from all over the state. Recently, Grace attended the Personal Development weekend in Dubbo, which takes place annually for any interested showgirls to learn the ins and outs of presentation.

According to an excerpt from the Rules and Regulations of Showgirl Competitions, “The aim of the Showgirl Competition is to find a person most suited to represent young rural women of NSW. The young lady must be articulate and presentable with a pleasant personality. She will be required to meet a wide variety of people and should be able to converse intelligently about Australia in general and in particular her own district.”

The best of luck and support to Grace, as she meets the next challenge and endeavours to be our town’s representative at the 2018 Sydney Royal.