Children came with their families, with friends, with Schools and early childhood centres to Victoria Park in Forbes last Friday to take part in literacy rich activities for the annual Forbes Reading Downtown Day. The sun was shining on a park full of children and adults dressed to the theme “Reading is my Super Power”.

Children right from birth to Year 12 took part in the day, with the little ones participating in literacy activities with volunteers from Red Bend Catholic College and Forbes High assisting.

“By engaging children of all ages we hope to reinforce the message about the importance of reading with children right from birth,” said Forbes Birth to Kinder Secretary, Maree Yapp. “What a super powered reading day this has been, the costumes are brilliant, the activities are awesome and everyone has had some fun,” continued Maree.

The day was once again supported by Phil Donato MP who arrived to read to the children, and with great excitement our local Mayor Phyllis Miller also read to groups of children young and old.

The Trainee Ranger and Weeds Officer from Council joined in the day reading a book relating to animal safety with the children and Landcare and Forbes North Public School provided some practical activities using reading as a super power.

CatholicCare, Mainly Music, KDS, Central West Libraries, and Forbes SaCC joined the Schools to provide activities and engage with the community.

Forbes Shire Council provided free books to children under five who came along on the day to encourage and support reading in the home.

The 11th very real, and at times confronting mock crash demonstration held at the Parkes High School last week once again brought home a very important message to about 500 students from three shires.

The mock crash demonstration, aimed at Year 10 students from the Forbes, Parkes and Lachlan shires, shows a realistic scenario
involving a single vehicle accident and response by emergency services. It aims to improve the attitudes and behaviours of young drivers and passengers as particularly red P platers are over represented in crash statistics across the State.

“Locally, a 27% reduction has been recorded in crashes involving young drivers since the program commenced 11 years ago,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Belinda Coe.

“We work in partnership with NSW Police, SES, and Ambulance NSW to bring home this important message.”

Central West Police District Crime Prevention Officer, Senior Constable Daniel Greef, said: “It’s vitally important to make these scenarios as realistic as possible because we want to show the young people what actually happens on roads.”

“We based this scenario off actual crashes which have happened involving young people in this area over the years.”

The demonstration starts with establishing scenes to introduce the four characters played by high school students, including Krystle-Lee McMurray from Forbes. The mock crash scenario is set up telling the audience what led to the crash, and then there is a full emergency response.

By Maggi Barnard

The Little Bang Discovery Club was launched in Forbes last week and caters to the curious, the inquisitive and the creative three to five year olds in the Forbes community. Facilitators in Forbes have been trained by the Children’s Discovery Museum to deliver this fun filled hands-on program focusing on genuine scientific enquiry.

“Thanks to the generosity of Telstra Kids Foundation and Clean TeQ Sunrise we have been able to purchase the resource kit needed to run the Little Bang Science Club program,” said Maree Yapp from Forbes North SaCC.

Forbes North SaCC and Forbes Learning Ladder worked together to bring the Little Bang Science Club to the Preschoolers room last week and a representative from Clean TeQ Sunrise was on hand to help out.

“Clean TeQ Sunrise is proud to invest in the Little Bang Science kit through our Matched funding for schools program. We know that early STEAM education is critical to developing the kind of scientific thinking that Clean TeQ Sunrise will need from our local workforce over the twenty-plus years the mine is expected to operate,” said Justine Fisher, General Manager, Government External Relations and Community Clean TeQ Sunrise.

“Maree Yapp has done a great job making sure the Little Bang Science kit is available to as many three to eight year old children in Forbes as possible via the Forbes Library, the Learning Ladder and Forbes North Public School,” continued Mrs Fisher.

Registrations are being taken now and families interested in participating can contact the Forbes Town Library on 6852 1463 or Forbes North SaCC on 6852 3008 to book a spot.

An innovative program of Forbes Shire Council was a winner at the Local Government NSW Awards last week.

Forbes was announced joint winner for the Best Local Youth Week Program with Brewarrina Shire Council.

“Our youth are such an important part of the future of this community and therefore we must celebrate them,” said Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM.

“Forbes Shire leads the way, in its commitment to provide a range of activities and opportunities for local young people, both during Youth Week and throughout the year.”

Forbes Shire Council Youth Officer Sarah Williams was very excited and said: “Working with the youth of Forbes has been a great experience for me and it is truly an honour for us to receive an award. We have an amazing program of events lined up for the year and I really look forward to working with the Forbes Youth Action Team (FYAT) to deliver these to the community.”

Youth Week is an opportunity for young people to share ideas, attend live events and to have their voices heard on issues of concern to them. Sarah also coordinates a program of events throughout the year. These include the Burrendong Year 5 Camp for children, movie screenings and a wide variety of activities during school holidays.

The FYAT, established to give young people a voice, welcome new members aged between 13 and 25 years. Contact Sarah on 6850 2300 for more information.

The annual White Ribbon Cup between Forbes High and Parkes High Schools was held on Monday 29th July at Forbes’ Duncan Sharpe Oval.

2019 is the third year of the carnival which aims to drive home messages about domestic violence, values and personal strength to take a stand.

This year, the White Ribbon Cup carnival was expanded to include a girl’s league tag match between the two schools, an invitation to Stage 3 students at Forbes Public and Forbes North Public schools and a Girls Night Out to complement the Boys Night In program that follows the cup match.

Forbes High School Deputy Principal, Jason Nottingham said that while the school have held the White Ribbon Cup since its inauguration two years ago, he believes the results of the match are secondary to the valuable message that the day reinforces with students.

“White Ribbon promotes respectful relationships, gender equality and engagement of men in preventing violence against women,” Mr Nottingham said.

“Combining this message with a day of sporting activity and the chance to explore a number of positively-themed information stalls has proved an effective vehicle for building students’ understanding of these important values,” continued Mr Nottingham.

The girl’s League Tag Cup went to Parkes High School who won 24 – 14 and the Rugby League score was 32 – 12 with Forbes High School claiming the tile for the third year in a row.

Selina Win Pe is one amazing woman who has so much to offer the struggling Forbes community as they currently tackle the worst drought on record.

Selina is one of the survivors of the infamous Lindt Café Siege in Sydney in 2014.

Since the siege Selina has battled Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for 4.5 years. Selina wanted to find a way of giving back to the Australians who have helped and supported her since the siege.

It was in early March of this year that Selina decided to jump in the car and leave Sydney, and see the effects of the NSW drought first hand that she had heard about through the media. After her travels she contacted the CEO of Rural Aid Australia Charles Alder and wanted to know how she could help.

Selina then identified with the help of Charles, two programs that she would get behind. They include:

• The Buy a Bale Program
• The Gift of Music Program

Selina is now an Official Rural Aid Ambassador and travels the state listening to the communities struggling through the drought. While she was in Forbes she met with Mayor Phyllis Miller and kindly delivered and donated over 150 bottles of water to Nell’s Pantry 4 Farmers at St John’s Anglican Church.

Selina is looking forward to returning to Forbes in the near future to speak at a Rotary Club event.

On 1st June Selina launched a new website www.selinawinpe.com.au which shows all her travels around the state.

 

Forbes Library is set to benefit from a record boost in funding for NSW Public Libraries, with the State Government delivering $36.5 million in 2019/20.

NSW State Librarian John Vallance welcomed this significant increase announced as part of the NSW State Budget in 2019, which will see a total of $60 million in additional Government funding going to public libraries over the next four years.

Forbes Library will be receiving an increase of $46,284 bringing the total amount of funding from the NSW State Government for the 2019/20 year to $85,986.

Jan Richards, Manager Central West Libraries said, “Central West Libraries will now work closely with Forbes Shire Council to decide what the funding will be used for as there are fairly broad parameters on the allocation. Potentially though this money will go towards staffing, opening hours, programs and services. We will also be working with the Forbes Community as part of the strategic planning process to fufill the needs of the local community”.

“We are very excited that this funding has come through. It is the result of the strong campaign of the NSW Public Library Association to increase funding”, said Jan.

Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller said “We love our Forbes Library and the funding increases will make a huge difference in helping our library to better meet the growing demands of our readers and communities.”

Forbes Preschool Director, Amy Shine, is ecstatic with the news that Forbes Preschool was announced as one of three finalists in Australia’s Narrungunnawali Awards for 2019 on Wednesday, July 3 2019.

Reconciliation Australia launched the Narragunnawali Awards 2019 for exceptional commitment to reconciliation in education. Held biennially, the Narragunnawali Awards represent Australia’s first national awards program for reconciliation in schools and early learning services.

The awards have been designed to recognise and celebrate educational environments – across the Government, Catholic and Independent sectors – that have implemented outstanding reconciliation initiatives. These schools and early learning services will be acknowledged for the ways in which they are strengthening relationships, building respect, and providing meaningful opportunities in the classroom, around the school or early learning service, and with the community.

“Forbes Preschool has been selected as a finalist for its outstanding and genuine reconciliation initiatives as part of the everyday learning program at Forbes Preschool,” said Ms Shine.

“This award is in recognition of the passion and dedication of our whole team here at Forbes Preschool and shows they are building and strengthening relationships as well as respect,” Ms Shine said. She added, “Our programs here at Forbes Preschool are designed to truly reflect and include our entire community and encourage meaningful relationships to take our students through their whole lives. The
earlier we start these conversations and educate our children, respect and unity will be a perfectly acceptable and normal part of every child’s life,” continued Ms Shine.

We cannot wait for the judges from Narragunnawali Awards 2019 to visit Forbes Preschool and be a part of our reconciliation journey.

“Being announced as a finalist is another great honour for Forbes Preschool. To be recognised nationally shows how committed our team and our community are to being the most outstanding learning centre we can possibly be, for now and for our future,” Ms Shine said.

By Kathy Garland

The Forbes Public School Stage 2/3 Primary School dance group have come away with first place after they performed in the ‘School Dance’ Section at the Forbes Eisteddfod last week. In second place was Parkes East Public Stage 3, Third place went to St Joseph’s Primary in Molong and four Highly Commended awards went to Holy Family Primary Boys Dance, Holy Family Primary “Dance Divas”, Forbes North Public School and the Holy Family Primary “Dancing Queens”.

The Stage 2/3 Primary School dance group who included Forbes Public School students Jade McKeown, Summer Hurford, Lola Morrison, Jemma Hodder, Billy Duggan, Millie Crowley, Bella Male, Audrey Walker and Ellie Pointon were amongst 11 other school groups in the region and scored an impressive 91 from the adjudicator.

“The energy and enthusiasm the girls displayed on stage was uplifting and their smiles lit up like Luna Park. It was incredibly entertaining and I was very proud of them all,” said teacher Miss Hodge.

“A special mention must go to Miss Gersbach who coordinated the dance, working tirelessly through break times and after school to help the girls create this phenomenal dance,” continued Miss Hodge.

In other Forbes Eisteddfod news the Most Outstanding School over all sections was awarded to St Laurence’s Catholic School in Forbes. The Forbes Town and District Band came a close second to the Parkes Shire Concert Band in the Open Band Group followed by Lachlan Regional Orchestra in third place.

People who live, work and visit the Forbes Shire demand a high level of food safety when they choose to eat out. ‘Scores on Doors’ is a promotional program that recognises and celebrates food businesses that have demonstrated a good standard of food safety.

Forbes Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM said “Scores on Doors creates a consistency in the local industry as everyone is judged on the same criteria.”

All restaurants, cafes, bakeries and takeaways in the Forbes local area can receive a star rating. Officers from Forbes Shire Council frequently inspect food businesses to ensure hygiene standards are being met.

When a business achieves good to excellent standards, after a random inspection, they are awarded a star rating by the inspector. A certificate is then issued by the Council and positioned in a clearly visible location, such as the front window or door of the business.

Mayor Miller stated “This program offers businesses a fantastic opportunity to show customers how seriously they take their food hygiene. This gives customers an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen out the back.”

Forbes Shire has joined the state-wide ‘Scores on Doors’ program, to improve food safety standards and to reduce the instance of foodborne illnesses in the retail food industry. The purple and green certificate and stickers have a rating system of Five Stars for Excellent, Four Stars for Very Good and Three Stars for Good.