Community not-for-profit organisations in Forbes are being encouraged to apply for funding through the Community Building Partnerships program. “A total of $200,000 is available for community groups within the Orange electorate for building and improving community facilities,” Member for Orange Andrew Gee said.

“The Community Building Partnership program allows for community infrastructure to be built, refurbished or enhanced, making an important impact on the day-to-day lives of our local communities,” Mr Gee said. “In many cases the funds will go to much needed social infrastructure with sporting, youth, cultural and community clubs all benefiting from the project funding.”

Applications will be assessed on merit against the project criteria and should demonstrate how their project will benefit their local community. The applications period closes at 5pm on Friday 7 August. Applications can be lodged
at www.communitybuildingpartnership.nsw. gov.au where additional information about the program and the types of projects that will be eligible for funding are also available.

After a short hiatus in 2002, the Friends of the Forbes Hospital Auxiliary reformed in 2004, and currently has 14 members on the committee. This Auxiliary was commenced in 1927 and was then known as the United Hospitals Auxiliary- Forbes Branch.

The current members, some of whom have been there for many years, come from a multitude of backgrounds, and bring together a wealth of experience. One lone male, Norm Haley, joins the enthusiastic group, so come on blokes get along to the AGM on 7th August and join in.

In the past the Auxiliary has raised funds for a range of pieces of equipment, including larger items such as a new theatre table, emergency trolleys and some new maternity equipment, so they provide an essential part of ongoing welfare for the community. Their fundraising is done by running raffles at major times of the year, including Easter
and Christmas. Around $2500 has been raised in the past year and at this point in time even though the money has not been earmarked for anything in particular, they will receive a ‘wish list’ from the Hospital which they will review carefully before deciding where their efforts are best placed.

There are many generous benefactors in the town including Woolworths and people who are celebrating a special occasion who request donations to the Auxiliary rather than receive presents. This is a great way to support a charity of your choice. The spirit of a local town is very evident in Forbes and people are very supportive and generous in their time and in donations.

We all know that the backbone of a lot of regional towns is the necessity to have a fully equipped local hospital as it plays such a vital and essential role. The Auxiliary are looking forward to the refurbished hospital being officially open, which should be in the next couple of months.

 

The Men’s Shed is a local committee of the Forbes men who get together from 9am to 12pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and they are always looking for new members – ‘the more the merrier’. “We believe in mateship, helping the community and a good cuppa for morning tea” said President Norm Haley.

At the moment the men are working on restoring furniture that the people of Forbes have kindly donated to the shed, including chairs, cabinets and a large garden setting and any leftovers or scrap is being recycled and used as kindling which the men sell for $6 a bag, which has been quite handy in this weather of late.

The committee has been lucky enough to have signed a running two year contract with the Honey Bee Factory, making wood box presentation packages, which look incredible! “We make 200 boxes per month, and 250 of our packages have recently been sent all over the world, that’s very exciting” said Norm. “We are organising guests such as health and lifestyle speakers to come along and talk Local Blokes Loving Life to us, as we like to get one per month. Last month was Australian Hearing and some of us ended up with hearing aids by the end of the day”.

Fundraising is a massive part of what the blokes at The Men’s Shed do. If you would like to help out, the men are running a 100 Club with tickets being sold at Bernardi’s IGA and Woolworths. A garage sale will take place this weekend at the Showground, starting at 9am and a sausage sizzle will also be on offer. There will also be a sausage sizzle held at Bunnings in August, September and October but the dates have not yet been confirmed.

All the fundraising and donations are going towards deserving charities close to the men’s heart as well as their organisation to help them achieve their goals. “We wish to build our own shed someday in the future”. Anyone wishing to join can simply turn up. Alternatively, please contact the Men’s Shed President Norm Haley on 0428 638 665 or Secretary Leo Butler on 0415 180 059.

“Once upon a time….”Are they not the most glorious words in the English language? And how much time, do we as parents spend reading with our children? It is just so important.

A headmaster was heard telling someone at a local school, “Far too often, parents tell me their child is ‘not a reader’. But that’s a copout. It’s a kid’s job to read and a parent’s job to persist for as long as it takes.” The key is to regard reading as a delight rather than a duty. Start early with your children and be theatrical when you read out
loud to your children (and grandchildren). Be animated and alive, however most importantly, be present. If you’re not interested and you don’t sound like you care whether Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy gets frightened by Scarface Claw or not, your child will know the difference.

Some children want to read the same book over and over again, then great let them do this. A lifelong relationship with a story is a lovely thing. For those long trips, audio books are marvellous. Remember a trip to the local library can be a weekly occurrence to choose a new book and audio.

So I would like to challenge all the mums and dads, and the grandparents, to take the time to read with your children and grandchildren and take yourself back to your childhood. Let us know what books your children like and how much time you spend with them reading. If you are part of a children’s reading group then perhaps you would like to share the details. Send us your story and the best story wins a voucher from Woolworths to the value of $50.

Woolworths is once again proud to be supporting education for Australian kids. Earn & Learn is back for 2015 and will offer early learning centres, primary schools and secondary schools the opportunity to benefit again, until September 8. Details of how to participate are available in stores and sticker sheets can be dropped into a collection box at your school or local store.

 

As part of an initiative of the Forbes Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber invites local businesses to portray their business, their challenges and what their plans are for the future. This week it was Linda Rees turn from Esme’s Coffee Shop which she has owned for 15 years after purchasing it from the Curry’s in November 2000.

Linda said she “thought it would be an easy job”. It has turned out to be very labour intensive, and particularly with her food, as everything is home cooked. She concentrates on ‘plain’ home-cooked food and admits they do very well with this type of food. It is particularly appreciated by the older clientele who visit regularly. The biggest change in her business has been the uptake in coffee sales. When Linda changed her brand of coffee to Bills Beans she saw an immediate rise of approximately 25% in sales. Esme’s is the fastest growing coffee reseller of Bills Beans in the Central West. Bills Beans would only allow her to sell their coffee if she agreed to make it the way that they wanted her to make it, as they didn’t want people having coffee served which wasn’t up to their standard. And it has
obviously worked for her with sales improving each month.

“One of my main challenges, as I am sure is the same with most businesses is finding, training and keeping the right staff. A surprising number of people, either through absent-mindedness or some other motive, also simply forget to pay. We have put in new technology and this is helping us streamline how we operate.” If you are looking to take over a great business in Forbes, this business is up for sale, but if you are simply looking for a great cup
of coffee then head to Esme’s.

BreastScreen NSW Greater Western has launched its new mobile breast-screening unit, servicing women across the Western NSW Local Health District. The unit is part of a NSW Government investment of $8.8 million to upgrade the existing BreastScreen NSW fleet with state-ofthe- art vehicles and screening technology.

The Federal Government contributed $4.4 million. Enhancements in the new vehicles include:
• Upgraded digital mammography equipment.
• Secure wireless communication system for instant transfer of diagnostic images to the statewide BreastScreen service for analysis by radiologists and breast physicians.
• Improved air-conditioning and wheelchair accessibility.
The mobile unit will visit Parkes, Forbes, Tottenham, Tullamore, Trundle, Peak Hill, Narromine, Molong and the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service between now and the end of the year.

It will be in Forbes from August 17 to September 28 in Victoria Park, behind the Cenotaph on Harold Street. “A woman diagnosed with breast cancer in NSW today has among the highest chances of survival in the world,” said Sarah McGill, Director Cancer Institute NSW. “However, we know that early detection is the key to survival.”

“It is vital for all women aged between 50 and 74 to have a mammogram every two years at a BreastScreen NSW clinic. It is a free service that could save your life. Women should call 132 050 to book a breast screen today.”

The Forbes Medical Centre has obtained a $125,000 grant under the Federal Government’s Rural and Regional Teaching Infrastructure program to help it expand its services and take on more trainees and GP registrars. The grant will enable the practice to extend its facilities to include an additional four consultation rooms.

“This investment in general practice and the primary care workforce will not only strengthen the general practice workforce, but also enhance the number of locally trained doctors, GP registrars and medical students,” said Federal Member for Calare John Cobb. A condition of the grant is that the general practice provides matched funding.

“I thank the Forbes Medical Centre for their foresight and hard work, and for recognising that those medical students and registrars who experience rural and remote practice are more likely to pursue careers in the bush,” said John Cobb.

 

Saturday night saw the staging of the annual Forbes and District Lions Changeover Dinner. MC Phil Lawler PCC welcomed guests who included Mayor Phyllis Miller, PCC Bob Buckley, PDG Bob Moore and Zone Chairman Charlie
Burrows.

Following PCC Buckley’s address, President Robyn Seberry gave her annual report, and thanked Club members for their hard work and support throughout the year which saw the Club donate to many organisations. One of the largest donations was of a Phoenix Chair to the local hospital.

Robyn then proceeded to make cheque presentations to representatives from local groups, including Mater Auxilliary, Can Assist, Forbes Town Band, St Vincent de Paul, Angel Flight and to several Lions Charities. These additional donations brought the total for 2014-15 to $18,327.

The new Lions Board is as follows: President Peter Bright, Vice Presidents Phil Lawler & Bill Dolle, PP Robyn Seberry, Secretary Gayle Williams, and Treasurer Ian Gilchrist. After accepting the Charter and Gong new President
Peter outlined his hopes for the coming year. The night concluded with the drawing of the Monster Raffle which saw approx. 20 people walk away with prizes.

Energy comparison service iSelect has estimated that one in five NSW households are struggling to pay their energy bills, with 7 per cent of households under a lot or extreme energy-bill strain.

Well over 70 per cent of respondents to the survey said their gas and electricity bills had increased significantly in recent years, with an overwhelming 86 per cent feeling they currently pay too much for energy. As such Forbes residents are urged to review their current energy plan to ensure they are on the most cost effective plan.

The research found that only a third of NSW households are able to pay their energy bills easily, with 67 per cent experiencing some level of strain in paying their gas and electricity bills. About half respondents said they had cut
back in other areas, with most forgoing holidays, dining out and shopping in order to afford paying their energy bill. Most worrying, however, is that just under half of NSW residents are cutting back on groceries to leave enough money for energy.

The survey also found that 15 per cent of respondents have gone into debt to pay for energy, with 9 per cent of survey respondents currently on a hardship payment plan in order to meet their energy bills and eight per cent currently on a hardship plan believing they won’t ever transition off it. Laura Crowden, iSelect spokesperson, said the survey not only highlighted the difficulty NSW residents are facing to pay for energy, but that many people are confused by how energy costs are calculated.

“Forty per cent of those surveyed admitted that they don’t understand their energy bills and how usage costs and network charges are calculated,” Laura said. “Energy bills can be really confusing so it’s important Forbes residents take the time to seek expert advice which can help you cut through the complexity and clearly determine if you are on the right plan to suit your energy needs.” For more information, visit www.iselect.com.au.

 

 

Kristin Barrass, vice-president of the Forbes Eisteddfod Committee, and Kristin Woods, the competition’s dance coordinator, certainly have something in common apart from first names. They’re both convinced that the event’s reputation as the “friendly eisteddfod” has much to do with it being able to attract more than 1500 entrants to its dance, music, speech and drama sections.

The contestants’ joy and the ease with which they’re approaching the dance section, which is currently on at the Forbes High School assembly hall, is testament to that. “Our eisteddfod is definitely seen as welcoming, comfortable, and great for building confidence and performance skills,” said Kristin Barrass. “That’s why we get so many first time competitors. They don’t feel as intimidated here as they do in some of larger, more formal eisteddfods.” And the entrants do come from far and wide — obviously many from Forbes itself, but also from Parkes, Eugowra, Grenfell, Orange, Bathurst, Leeton and Griffith, some indeed from as afar afield as southern Queensland.

“We’re all volunteers here,” said Kristin Woods. “Though we also get enormous support from the Forbes Shire Council and from sponsors such as the Northparkes Mine, the Forbes Services Club and McDonalds.” And both Kristins also have special words of praise and thanks for the guest adjudicators, Andrew Mortimer (Melbourne) and
Pamela Herring (Sydney).