If you go down to Lions Park on Saturday 19 October, you are sure of a big surprise! The popular Teddy Bear’s Picnic is returning this year and on a Saturday.

It truly is a day for the whole family to enjoy. This year’s event will include over 28 activities and rides for the children, including a crash course, bandage a bear, face painting and unicorn land, to name a few. “We are overwhelmed by the success of previous picnics and cannot wait to bring our biggest and best to the community so far,” says Forbes Shire Council Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM.

Taste of Greece, Sweet Three Vintage Van and BBQ by Forbes Lions Club will all be on site. Coffee by Larz and an ice cream van will also be available to supply treats for big and little kids alike.

Children are asked to bring along their favourite teddy to participate in the Teddy Bear Parade. Each child will receive a token for participating. Make sure you have your name tag on your bear in case he or she accidently gets lost.

The musical performances on the day will feature Mainly Music, Maddi Collits and Georgia Sideris who will get the children ready to have some fun. Both Forbes North Dance Troupe and Kristen’s Dance Studio will also perform.

“Food and refreshments will be available on the day or bring a picnic,” says Mayor Miller. “It is a lovely event the whole family can enjoy for little to no cost.”

Teddy Bears Picnic forms Council’s celebrations of Children’s Week and the picnic starts at 10am and concludes at 2pm.

In the interests of public safety, Forbes Shire Council are initiating a temporary exclusion zone around the new container café in Lions Park.

“We are really pleased that so many tourists and members of the community are keen to enjoy this wonderful space by the lake,” says Forbes Shire Council General Manager, Steve Loane. “But we need to ensure that people are able to do this safely.”

Exclusion works in the park will include the erection of temporary bollards in front of the container café to separate pedestrian traffic from the road. Lions Park will also be extensively signposted with safety and shared zone signs.

The park features play equipment for children and the temptation for them to run over to this equipment is high. The BBQ area and new fishing platform share the space and the public need to be on the look-out for children in this vicinity.

“Our parks must remain safe places for the whole family,” says Steve Loane. “Cars don’t really belong in our parks, except to set up and pack down for events and markets. I’d encourage the community to relax and unwind in our beautiful open spaces, such as Lions Park and leave the car parked outside the park, or leave it a

Michelle Mahlo, Sue Cunningham, Danielle Hodge and Karen Wright helped out at Grazing Down the Lachlan.

“It’s amazing what a good cup of tea can do for the soul” and “Just what I need is a nice refreshing Cuppa,” were just a few of the sentiments many patrons of the Grazing Down The Lachlan were voicing when they arrived at the last station of the event. Tired and some perhaps a little under the weather, were delighted to find that a good old ‘cuppa’ awaited them.

Four ladies from the CWA Forbes Evening Branch volunteered to serve good old fashioned cups of tea. They were even more surprised to learn that teapots with real tea leaves were being used, while they gathered to listen to some good music and discuss the day’s adventures along the Lachlan.

Michael and Denise Walker and Judith Taylor enjoyed the Country of Study International Dinner.

Part of the CWA values is to be involved with the community. Assisting with Grazing Down The Lachlan has been only one of many events the branch has been involved with recently. A group of 9 members assisted the Forbes PA & HA providing morning tea and lunch for judges and helpers at the recent show.

The Australian National Field Days (ANFD) provides a unique opportunity for retailers, primary producers, the general public and government organisations to come together to share information in a hands-on forum.

With a strong reputation as the oldest annual agricultural exhibition in the country (est. 1952), the ANFD showcases quality exhibitors continuing the long-held commitment to Advancing Australian Agriculture. The Australian National Field Days showcase new ideas, the latest technology and innovations in agriculture. Since 1952, the field days have provided an informative, social and enjoyable day out for all who attend.

The 2019 Australian National Field Days is set to be a real in- vestment in the future of agriculture according to ANFD Manager, Jayne West. “The prime purpose of the ANFD continues to be to assist the agricultural industry by providing those involved with the opportunity of gaining firsthand knowledge of the latest trends in agricultural equipment and technology.”

“Participation by exhibitors and attendance by industry and other visitors is part of the collaborative investment in agriculture and the success of the event year after year.”

“It’s amazing how the Australian agriculture industry continues to pull together in good times and in bad to move forward. It’s no wonder our industry represents one of the most advanced with the sophistication of Australia’s agricultural land management continuing to increase and our farmers among the most self-sufficient in the world,” said ANFD chairman, Sam Connell.

The Forbes Services Memorial Club are proudly sponsoring a Shop Front Display Competition to coincide with the Forbes Baby Boomers Music Festival, which will be held at the Club from 25th – 27th October.

The Shop Front Display Competition is open to all Forbes Business Houses to enter. The Competition will commence on Monday 7th October 2019 and conclude on Sunday 27th October 2019.

All Forbes Business Houses wishing to participate are to register prior to the start date.

All businesses are encouraged to participate by decorating their shop fronts with icons of the Baby Boomers Era between 1946 and 1978! This could include music, fashion, icons, or performers from the era so be creative!

Employees can also get in on the fun by dressing in the theme of the Baby Boomers era. There are three prize categories on offer:

• Overall Best Display $1,000 Prize
• People’s Choice $500 Prize
• Best Dressed Individual Employee $250

Prize Winners will be announced on Saturday 26th October 2019 at 12pm over the P.A in the CBD of Forbes.

Forbes Shire Council Rangers Mat Wallis and Jessica
Burbage.

Forbes Shire Council is delivering on its commitment to ease traffic woes in the CBD with parking times being enforced by Council Rangers. The demand for on-street parking spaces in the CBD is extremely high, and Council Rangers will play an important role in administering and enforcing the restrictions on stopping and parking to ensure safe, efficient and equitable road use for everyone.

“It is so very important to begin enforcing the parking restrictions in our CBD at this point in time,” says Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM. “Our retailers are finding the drought hard and we need to give passing travellers a place to park, so that they will spend money in town.”

“It’s a good thing for our town, we need to ensure our businesses are accessible for customers,” says Marg Duggan, President of Forbes Business Chamber and local business owner. “It is especially important to have these parking spaces available for less mobile customers.”

The trial period for the introduction of parking infringements is coming to a close and from 8 October parking fines will be administered.

Getting a blood test is now even easier for Forbes residents, with NSW Health Pathology opening a second collection centre right in the centre of town.

The new collection centre is conveniently located at Forbes Medicine and Mind, 12 Cross Street, Forbes and will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

NSW Health Pathology’s Forbes Senior Supervising Scientist, Robyn Seberry, said the staff were excited to see the new collection centre opening.

“Our existing collection centre at Forbes Hospital will still be open and we’re proud to be able to provide an additional pathology service for local residents,” Ms Seberry said.

“Our collection staff have a wealth of experience and they’re experts at caring for their patients at all stages of life and making them feel safe and welcome. They also have plenty of experience collecting samples from children and they know how to make kids feel comfortable during blood tests.”

NSW Health Pathology is investing $300,000 in the new centre over the next three years as part of its commitment to provide quality pathology services to NSW communities.

Ms Seberry said the centre can take all pathology request forms and will provide services for patients who require ongoing tests to monitor their health conditions, including cancer and kidney disease.

“Our staff all live locally and they’re proud to provide high quality pathology services to their local community,” she said.

“The majority of the pathology tests will be performed at our Forbes Hospital laboratory and for some tests we will even be able to provide same-day results.

“Patients will also have access to highly specialised pathology testing thanks to NSW Health Pathology’s statewide net- work of laboratories.”

In Forbes about 60,000 tests are per- formed every year with 1000 patients every month. A broad range of onsite tests such as haematology (white cells, red cell, platelets and clotting function); biochemistry (assessing cholesterol, glucose, liver, kidney and cardiac function); immunohaematology (determining blood groups, antenatal screening and providing blood for transfusion) are carried out.

Ros Edwards Secretary, Ken Engsmyr, Evelyn and Bill Shallvey all from Parkes, Marion McIntyre President and Hilda McPherson Treasurer at the Bogan Gate CWA September meeting.

Bogan Gate CWA President Marion McIntyre welcomed seven members and visitors Cath Rawson and Cathie McGrath at their September meeting.

The thought was given by Gail McKay ‘Special people scatter seeds of kindness wherever they go’. Over the last couple of months the branch has been very busy catering for 2 funeral wakes.

Each year the Branch shares time together with fun and food at a Friendship Luncheon and this year several members enjoyed their lunch at the Bogan Gate Hotel.

The International Day and meeting was held in August with International Officer, Heather Veal organising a beautiful meal representing Papua New Guinea. Guest Speakers at the lunch Chris and Kay Ow- ens from Dubbo who had lived in PNG for 15 years, spoke of their time living there.

At the meeting on Thursday 19th September CWA members welcomed Ken Engsmyr, Parkes Rotary and Bill and Evelyn Shallvey also from Parkes. Bill spoke and shared photos of his trips to East Timor with several other local people to help the people of Timor. In recent time this group has supplied several large containers packed with surplus equipment from the old Parkes and Forbes Hospitals, Southern Cross and Mater Aged Care, including roofing from Southern Cross.