The Forbes community had so much fun celebrating Reading Downtown Day on Monday 24 November at the Forbes Town Hall, with a special live performance of Mr Huff.

The performance was brought to life by Meerkat Productions, Mr Huff is an awardwinning children’s book about the clouds and the sunshine in each of our lives.

Through music, movement and storytell­ing, children discover positive coping skills and practical wellbeing Strategies. This adaptation of Mr Huff supports schools in creating a strong wellbeing culture and aligns with the Australian Curriculum focus on Personal and Social Capability.

The program is designed to help stu­dents recognise, name and manage their emotions, building resilience, self-aware­ness and emotional intelligence in ways that stick.

The special event was a partnership be­tween Forbes Shire Council, Forbes North Schools as Community Centres (SaCC) and Forbes Birth to Kinder, bringing the community together to celebrate literacy, learning and wellbeing.

Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said it is won­derful to see local partnerships supporting fun and meaningful events for families.

“Reading Downtown Day is such a spe­cial event because it inspires children to discover the joy of reading. It’s so wonder­ful to be able to do something different this year for the community that’s interactive and fun,” Mayor Miller said.

Hosted annually, Reading Downtown Day aims to raise awareness about the im­portance of reading to children from a very young age.

This year marked the 21st year of the event in Forbes. Forbes North Schools SaCC committee member, Maree Yapp, said the group is proud to be celebrating over two decades of encouraging early lit­eracy.

“It’s amazing to see how the event con­tinues to grow,” Mrs Yapp said.

“Reading Downtown Day is all about showing families how powerful reading with children can be. It builds connection, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.”i

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) and the Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) have extended a Memorandum of Under­standing (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between the two bodies and to amplify the voice of local government across the state.

LGNSW President Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM signed the agreement alongside CMA Chairman Rick Firman OAM during the first day of the 2025 LGNSW Annual Confer­ence.

The extension of the existing MoU contin­ues to strengthen the relationship between the two organisations and sets out a frame­work for cooperation on issues impacting councils, particularly those in remote, rural and regional communities.

Through the partnership, LGNSW and the CMA will collaborate on policy development, advocacy campaigns and information shar­ing, working together to deliver stronger out­comes for councils and communities right across New South Wales.

Mayor Miller said the agreement would help ensure the challenges and opportu­nities of regional and rural communities remain front and centre in statewide advo­cacy efforts. “This MoU reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the collective voice of local government and ensuring every council – no matter how large or small – has a seat at the table,” Mayor Miller said.

Boys to the Bush (BttB) is thrilled to an­nounce the completion of the much-needed new roof at our Forbes hub — a vital mile­stone made possible thanks to the gener­ous support of NGM Group’s Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation and the unwavering commitment of our local com­munity.

To mark this achievement, BttB will host a special “Raise the Roof” celebration, bring­ing together supporters and community members to enjoy a BBQ lunch, acknowl­edge the journey, and celebrate what this upgrade means for the future of Forbes.

The Forbes hub has been a lifeline for hundreds of young men across the Cen­tral West, a place where they find safety, MENtoring, connection, and opportunities to grow.

For years, however, the 1930s roof posed ongoing challenges, with leaks and struc­tural issues threatening the integrity of the building and the programs delivered inside it. With the new roof now complete, the building is finally equipped for the long-term.

“This roof means security, stability, and a promise kept to the young people of Forbes,” Boys to the Bush Head of Opera­tions Scott McIntyre said.

The new roof now strengthens that role, ensuring the building can continue to serve as a safe meeting place, crisis refuge, and centre for learning.

With phase one complete, planning is al­ready underway for the next stage of inter­nal upgrades that will make the hub even more accessible, functional, and welcom­ing for the growing number of families and youth who rely on it.

The Forbes community, partners, sup­porters and Boys to the Bush network are warmly invited to attend the official celebra­tion: Raise the Roof Community Lunch at 102–106 Rankin Street, Forbes on 10th De­cember from 11.30am to 1pm for a Commu­nity lunch, acknowledgements and informal walkthrough.

For information, contact Boys to the Bush Community Partnerships Manager Matt Seiter on 0410 159.

Lions Park playground is set to enjoy a sec­ond life overseas, thanks to a partnership between Council and Rotary. The Rotary Overseas Relocated Playgrounds (RORP) program rescues decommissioned play­grounds and relocates them to overseas communities in need.

The Lions Park playground equipment will be shipped to one of RORP’s fifteen partner countries, where it will be installed to benefit local children and families without access to safe playgrounds.

Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM said the initiative is a win-win for the com­munity. “While the equipment is no longer suitable for reuse in Forbes, we’re proud to partner with Rotary to give it a second life.

Instead of sending it to landfill, this initiative allows children overseas to enjoy quality play experiences that they otherwise would not have,” the Mayor said.

The RORP project has donated over 400 playgrounds from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales to overseas com­munities including Timor Leste, the Philip­pines, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, South Africa, Cambodia, Philippines, and Papua New Guinea.

The Parkes Rotary Club took on the task of deconstructing and storing the Lions Park equipment until there are enough do­nations to fill a forty-foot shipping container.

Parkes Rotary Club member, Peter Thompson said the Lions Park equip­ment will make a real difference. “This is our Club’s first time participating in a play­ground relocation project and it’s been in­credibly rewarding.”

“It takes approximately fourteen play­grounds to fill one shipping container, so we are encouraging our neighbouring councils to join the initiative to help make this pos­sible,” Mr Thompson added.

For more information visit www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/community/grants-and-support/major-projects/lake-activation

This week marks the launch of a major new phase of the successful ‘Never Bin A Battery’ campaign rolling out across New South Wales.

Fires caused by the incorrect disposal of household batteries and products with em­bedded batteries are a growing hazard. In NSW, Fire and Rescue have responded to more than 280 incidents caused by lithiumion batteries this year alone.

Meanwhile, the waste industry reports an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 battery-related fires a year nationwide, posing a significant risk to human health, the environment and to critical infrastructure that we rely on to process waste.

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Executive Director of Programs and Innovation Alexandra Geddes said, “Every­one has a role to play in the safe use and disposal of batteries, which should never be disposed of in kerbside bins.”

The campaign reminds people to:

• Tape the ends of small loose batteries with clear, sticky tape

• Keep them safe in a ventilated, glass container

• Drop them off at nearby B-cycle collec­tion points, like supermarkets and hard­ware stores

• Dispose of large batteries (5-20 kg) for free at Community Recycling Centres

• Drop off items with embedded batteries for free to one of 34 CRCs participating in the embedded batteries recycling trial