Lesley Teale (member), Nic Little (President of Forbes Evening CWA Branch) and Lorraine Everest (member), will all be involved in the preparation for the upcoming walk-in soup and slice kitchen.

The first winter walk-in soup kitchen pre­sented by the Evening Branch of CWA was received favourably by patrons and fi­nancially successful with $235 raised from soup sales. It was such a success that pa­trons requested the event be repeated, so a soup and slice walk-in kitchen has been organised for Wednesday, 6 August.

It was wonderful to see steady stream of patrons enjoy a bowl of soup and bever­age over much chatter with known or new faces from our Forbes community. There was much warmth felt within the hall not only from the warm soup but also a friendly welcome and happy atmosphere.

The next walk-in soup and slice kitchen is to be held on Wednesday 6 August, 12pm at the CWA Hall in Lachlan Street, Forbes. The cost will be $10 per head, this will include: a bowl of soup of your choice with a bread roll, finishing with a beverage served with a home created slice or bis­cuit prepared by the CWA Evening Branch members.

The two most requested soup varieties from the July Kitchen, pumpkin plus potato, bacon and corn chowder will be repeated, along with several different varieties. This can also be prepared and sold as a takea­way serve. Funds raised from sales will be utilised by the Forbes Evening Branch to support further causes in our community.

The Mayor of Parkes Shire, Neil Westcott, has expressed strong support for the NSW Nationals’ push to establish another Parlia­mentary inquiry into Energy-from-Waste.

The previous 2017 inquiry, which included participation from the current Environment Minister Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC along with representatives from the Greens and Liberals, led to several rec­ommendations. One of the recommendations was for the Chief Scientist and Engineer to ensure that international best practices were followed in Energy-from-Waste initiatives, which was ad­dressed in the subsequent Chief Scientists report. However, many of these recommendations appear to remain unaddressed.

The Mayor said; “While the 2017 inquiry provided a founda­tion, there remains important questions that are yet to be fully ad­dressed. A renewed Parliamentary inquiry could help clarify these issues and provide the transparency our community is seeking.”

Mayor Westcott has raised the question about the rationale be­hind the proposed location of Energy-from-Waste facilities and that it needs to be clearly explained to the community. Further, Mayor Westcott applauded Geoff Rice’s call for respectful debate which was timely and necessary. “Whether someone holds a different opinion on EfW or simply is not ready to form a view at this stage, that position deserves to be respected. People should feel safe to ask questions, seek information and take the time they need to understand the issue without fear of judgement or pressure.”

To view all correspondence with the State Government on the concerns of Parkes Shire Council regarding this development, please visit https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/Council/News-mediaand-projects/Projects-and-works/Energy-From-Waste-Facility and refer to the State Liaison section.

Natasha Harris with her award, said NAIDOC Week is her “favourite time of the year”.

Aboriginal early childhood educator Nata­sha Harris is the 2025 Indigenous Person of the Year over 18, an award announced by the Forbes NAIDOC Committee on 4 July. Natasha, who works in CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’s Aboriginal Families as Teachers program, was honoured to receive the accolade.

“I am passionate about my work and deeply committed to supporting families and strengthening our community,” she said.

“My role [with CatholicCare WilcanniaForbes] allows me to walk alongside fami­lies, providing meaningful support in their everyday lives.

“I run playgroup sessions in family homes to create safe, engaging spaces for children and parents to connect and learn.

“I also founded Little Boori Playgroup — a culturally grounded playgroup held on Country for our Aboriginal families.

“This space helps children and their fami­lies connect with culture, language, and land in a meaningful and respectful way.

“I work closely with Elders and local ser­vices to provide holistic support for our fami­lies, ensuring they feel heard, respected, and empowered.”

Natasha has been part of the CCWF team for more than nine years and shares her knowledge and insight with colleagues across the organisation. This year she helped organise a Reconciliation Week event for the Forbes branch to get togeth­er to yarn and eat. “I demonstrated how to make johnny cakes, so everyone there on the day got to make their own johnny cakes,” Natasha said.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Chief Executive Officer Anne-Marie Mioche con­gratulated Natasha, saying: “At Catholic­Care Wilcannia-Forbes, we know Tash as a passionate advocate for her clients, and someone with a calm and gentle approach.”