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Funding For Forbes Dragon Boat Club

December 5, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Forbes Dragon Club members with Phil Donato and the new 10-seater dragon boat.

On Monday, 30 November, Member for Orange, Phil Donato MP visited Forbes to announce funding for the Forbes Dragon Boat Club under the Local Sporting Grant Program 2019/20.

The $5,000 of funding contributed towards the purchase of a champion 10-seater dragon boat, an asset that is already being put to good use in the Club.

“The Forbes Dragon Boat Club is a growing club of around 33 people that provides a wonderful social outlet, comradery, and physical fitness,” Phil said.

“It’s wonderful to see the local Dragon Boating community continue to thrive, and I was proud to support this funding application.”

Club member Deanna Williams said she was delighted the club received the funding and explained that the new 10-seater boat is a huge benefit in numerous ways.

“We previously had two 20-seater boats, we needed the 10-seater champion boat because we often don’t get the number of people required to put out a 20-seater,” Deanna explained.

“You need at least 10 people to paddle a 20-seater boat, but only five or six people to paddle a 10-seater. A lot of members travel from a fair distance, so if they turn up and we can’t put out a boat, it’s a bit of a disappointment.”

Deanna also explained that the new 10-seater boat also allows for more rigorous training, which suits some of the clubs more competitive members.

“Quite a few people come for a social paddle, while some members like to train more rigorously to get practice in for NSW representation at the Australian Championships,” she explained.

“The 10-seater is a smaller boat which means it’s more difficult, and you really need to get your technique right and your timing correct. It is great for rigorous training practice. The 20-seaters are heavier and more stable, so they are better for the social paddles.”

Late Night Shopping Dates For 2020

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Late night shopping dates have been announced in Forbes, “I am really happy to announce the dates for the 2020 late night shopping. Businesses have the choice to participate in late night shopping on Thursday, 10 and 17 December and again on Tuesday, 22 December. All shops are encouraged to remain open until 7.30pm,” said Forbes Business Chamber President Marg Duggan.

The Business Chamber is looking forward to many businesses supporting these dates and have already received confirmation from The Bakehouse that they will be hosting a Burgers and BYO Beer evening on Thursday, 10 December. Isabel’s Place, The Forbes Inn, and the Vandenberg Hotel will be open for trade and dinner as well.

“Wander the shops and make a start on your Christmas shopping while enjoying the cooler evenings and the wonderful Christmas window decorations in the CBD. Many of the businesses have many wonderful items and exciting new stock in stores,” said Marg.

The Christmas Window Competition is a public competition with the public being asked to vote on their favourite windows. The categories are: Best Business Window, Best Innovative Display and Viewer’s Choice. Businesses from outside of the CBD are encouraged to participate. All you need to do is register your business entry by emailing forbes.businesschambernsw@gmail.com and attach an image of your window.

“People will be asked to click on the image on Facebook to vote for the Viewer’s Choice. You have until Sunday, 13 December to place your vote. There are three $200 Why Leave Town cards to be won. The windows must be completed by Friday, 4 December as judging will take place between 5 and 12 December. Winners will be announced on Monday, 14 December,” said Marg.

Free Online Workshop Helps Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Learner driver Jordan Moody will keep our roads safe with the right advice from supervisors and parents.

Forbes, Parkes, and Lachlan Shire Councils will be hosting another online workshop for parents and other supervisors of local learner drivers, full of practical advice and information about completing the 120 hours of supervised driving.

The free Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers workshop is scheduled for Thursday, 10 December from 6pm.

Forbes, Parkes, and Lachlan Shire Council’s Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said while the usual face to face workshops weren’t possible due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the online delivery will hopefully make it more easily accessible for participants to attend.

“We held two of these online workshops back in August and had a great response from across the region. Parents and supervisors of learner drivers have a crucial role to play in making our roads safer. That is why we have teamed up with Transport for NSW and the Councils across the Western Region to hold another one of these workshops via Zoom,” Melanie said.

Participants can attend from the safety and comfort of their own home. The estimated run time is around one hour and 15 minutes.

The workshop covers the licencing system, how to use the Learner Driver Log-book, including the use of digital logbooks, licence conditions for learner and P-plate drivers, the benefits of on-road driving sessions, tips on supervising a learner driver, and much more.

“Parents and supervisors who have attended this workshop in the past have found that it boosted their confidence, helped them better plan driving sessions and allowed them to share their experiences with other parents and supervisors,” Melanie said.

Bookings are essential and can be made online via Eventbrite, through the Councils’ Facebook pages or by calling Melanie Suitor on 02 6861 2364.

Kristen’s Dance Studio Gives A Helping Hand To Families And Sick Children

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

HELPING FORBES FAMILIES Lil Hodges, Matilda Crawley, Eliza Woods, and Kristen Woods paid a special visit to Ronald McDonald House in Orange to donate boxes full of items to support families from Forbes and the Central West.

Ronald McDonald House Charities in Orange received a beautiful surprise when the Principal of Kristen’s Dance Studio in Forbes, Kristen Woods, arrived at the house last week with a generous donation of boxes of games, activities, toiletries and vouchers for families and sick children.

“We just had a knock on the door and were greeted by Kristen with boxes and boxes of donated items for our family, it was wonderful,” said Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities Orange, Rebecca Walsh.

Kristen said her family has a special connection with Ronald McDonald House Charities as her sister was treated for several months at Westmead, with her family staying nearby at Ronald McDonald House many years ago.

“The donations for the Orange house are the result of the students dressing up for Halloween and donating,” Kristen said.

“We decided to split the donations between Orange and Westmead houses.”

“We are just so fortunate that we have a house in Orange now that is closer for our families,” she said.

Since Ronald McDonald House Charities Orange opened, 75 families from Forbes have stayed for a total of 235 nights while they access specialist care for their child at Orange Hospital.

All accommodation and services are provided to families free of charge for as long they need. This includes emergency meals, complimentary breakfasts, grocery items for families to self-cater, toiletries, and food and travel vouchers.

Over half of the 790 Central and Far-Western families that have stayed with RMHC Orange, have had a child or adolescent experiencing a mental health crisis requiring urgent treatment in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health ward located within Orange Hospital. It is the only specialist unit of its type located outside of Sydney.

Rebecca said due to the centralisation of specialist obstetric services to Orange, the
house in Orange had also experienced a marked increase in the number of women who need to come to Orange to give birth or be monitored during pregnancy.

“If pregnant mothers are sent to Orange for their check-up, they are offered overnight accommodation, so they don’t have to drive down and back in one day. Closer to delivery these women and their partner or family member stay with us for as long as required so they are close to hospital services,” Rebecca said.

Snippets…

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

The newest light up installation in Victoria Park.

Christmas In Forbes Shines: Forbes residents will be happy to know Christmas is not cancelled this year. Despite a tumultuous year for events and celebrations, Forbes Shire Council has decorated the town with an extensive array of Christmas decorations including many new locations and displays. Mayor Phyllis Miller said the community deserves a pick-me-up after what has been a difficult year after many difficult years of drought.
Recognising the broad appeal of these decorations in lifting community spirits, Council has expanded the Christmas decorations project to include more displays in and around the CBD. Lions Park has also been included in the display and will have lights, similar to the ones in Victoria Park, hanging from the trees.
Victoria Park will also feature an immersive Christmas display which will give residents and visitors a fantastic vantage point to watch the projection on Town Hall.
The tale of Santa Koala by Colin Buchanan and Glen Singleton will be brought to life on the Harold Street side of Town Hall. The short story animation will be projected onto the building with lighting effects like those seen at Sydney’s Vivid Festival.
The lights and projections will remain in place until January 2021.

Christmas Colour-In Competition: The Forbes Phoenix is running a Christmas Colour-In Competition from Friday, 27 November to Friday, 11 December 2020. The winner of the competition will win a special prize just in time for Christmas, with the winner to be announced in the Phoenix’s last edition of 2020, on Friday, 18 December. To enter the competition, simply colour in the picture on page four, take a picture of the complete colour-in, and send it to us via the Forbes Phoenix Facebook page or email editor@forbesphoenix.com.au with the entrants name and age. We look forward to seeing the wonderful work from children in the Forbes Shire, so get colouring!

The Book Dispensary: Forbes’ newest local is opening on Thursday, 10 December at 4 Templar Street. This new business is a joint venture between Debbie Prior, Warwick Marx and Michael and Ange Flannery and brings to Forbes a long-awaited offering for the book enthusiasts in the community.
The team have been working hard to get the store open before Christmas and aim to end what has been a challenging 2020 for the community on a positive and exciting note.
Debbie Prior said that she is really excited about this new venture and the opportunity to open not only a new business in Forbes, but a bookstore. “It will be sad to leave my role at Flannery’s Pharmacy after nearly 23 years but I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life,” she said.
The Book Dispensary will be launched on Thursday and will be open for late trading during December so drop in and say hello.

Council Water Grid Agreement

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Image credit: Adobe Stock

At last week’s Forbes Shire Council meeting the Centroc Water Grid Business Paper was pulled for further discussion by Councillors. The report provided Councillors with details of the Centroc Water Grid proposal between Central Tablelands Water, Parkes Shire Council and Forbes Shire Council. In this report a pipeline was proposed linking Gooloogong to Forbes, and then to form a part of the Central Tablelands County Council Water Supply to outlying towns of Parkes and beyond.

“Unfortunately, we had to defer the matter to our next Council Meeting to give our elected members time to fully understand the matter,” says Forbes Shire Council Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM. “Everyone needs to understand what it means to Forbes and our water security. We are always willing to work with our neighbours, but not at the detriment of others.”

Council’s Manager of Water understands that the modelling did not allow for Council’s potential use of groundwater, or for the fact that in drought years Water NSW operates the system to minimise wastage and extends the existing water supplies for as long as possible, which is much longer than under normal allocation scenarios.

In addition, since the Millennium Drought, there have been changes to Water NSW’s water allocation assessments, factoring in three years of essential water supply when making its annual water allocation determinations. Council has also improved its security position in reducing demand by increasing the water usage charge and undertaking some water recycling works, maintaining its yearly usage at approximately 200ML less than the typical yearly usage used in the 2009 report. Council has also installed a third groundwater bore since that report and can now treat groundwater through both treatment trains at the Water Plant.

Forbes Shire Council will discuss the proposal at the next briefing with a report to come at the December Council meeting for Councillor’s to form a position.

Community Funding Announced

December 4, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Phil Donato MP

The electorate of Orange has secured $299,829 in funding for a total of 20 projects through the NSW Government’s 2020 Community Building Partnership Program.

Phil Donato MP, said the State Government funds will deliver much-needed improvements to local facilities.

“This grassroots funding will directly help create a more vibrant and inclusive local community with positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes. It’s great to be able to do my part in assisting our local region.”

“I congratulate all the organisations that were successful in their application and look forward to seeing how these projects make a real difference for our community groups in the area,” Phil said.

Some of the successful applicants for projects in the Forbes Shire were the Eugowra Community Children’s Centre Inc. including a renovation of the old community hall to expand Eugowra Children’s Centre, Bogan Gate Golf Club Co-op Ltd for new solar panels, as well as the Forbes Pastoral Agriculture for a Ladies auxiliary kitchen and lawnmower.

The Community Building Partnership program has funded more than 15,000 community projects since it commenced in 2009.

Applications for the 2021 Program open in early 2021. Visit www.nsw.gov.au/cbp for more information.

Grain Truck Signs Remind Drivers About Harvest

November 27, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Andrew Rousell, Melanie Suitor and Cr Chris Roylance with one of 20 new grain harvest signs around the Shire to improve road safety.

Harvest is well and truly underway across the region, with a record number of trucks transporting grain to local silos.

Drivers are being reminded about the extra truck movements with 20 new signs installed on roads throughout the Forbes, Parkes and Lachlan Shire Council areas.

The Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said that the signs were the first of their kind in NSW.

“The fold-down harvest truck warning signs were designed and approved by Transport for NSW.”

“They are a pilot and based on the feedback we receive, may be rolled out in other locations on the regional road network next harvest,” Melanie said.

The Caution Grain Trucks signs have been installed on roads where grain trucks travel, and near silos in Parkes, Forbes, Trundle, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo and Tottenham.

“The safety of all road users during harvest is very important, especially this year as we see record numbers of truck movements following many years of drought.”

“The signs are currently opened and will be closed at the end of harvest.”

“By displaying the sign only at times when trucks are likely to be present, the credibility and hence the effectiveness of the sign is maintained,” Melanie said.

Forbes Preschool Welcomes Continued Support

November 27, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

JUMPING FOR JOY…Forbes Preschoolers Mathew Brunt and Fletcher Morrison will continue to benefit from the NSW Government’s support.

Forbes Preschool has welcomed the NSW Government’s announcement to continue free Preschool for three to five year old’s in 2021.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, and Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, Sarah Mitchell announced the funding last week.

The free preschool program which was initially announced in response to COVID-19 has supported countless jobs and kept children learning and engaged during crucial developmental years.

Forbes Preschool Director Amy Shine said the announcement was excellent news for families.

“We work hard to always keep our fees at a minimum and waive them when we can, so it is very encouraging to get the government’s support and endorsement for this,” Amy said.

The funding provides 15 hours of free care per child each week and highlights the government’s acknowledgment of how important preschool is for everyone.

“Early childhood education is crucial to a child’s development, especially in those critical years before school, and with this announcement families know they can include preschool in their children’s early years of learning,” added Amy.

Forbes Preschool has a long and successful history of developing inclusive programs that are holistic in their approach, which prepare the children for school by developing confidence and engaged learning skills, as well as a community minded attitude which benefits children well into adulthood.

“Early learning is such an exciting space to be in and Forbes Preschool continues to be at the forefront of learning and delivery. We are already delivering holistic services which work with the students through speech, occupational therapy and specialised play therapy in all our programs.”

“We continue to try and meet demand, and will partner with Forbes Shire Council and other bodies to ensure we make pre-school available, as it is a crucial time of learning for children under five years of age,” Amy said.

Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow; Christmas Window Competition

November 27, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

The third draw in the Find It In AMAZING Forbes Promotion was held on Thursday, 19 November. Paula Leadbitter was the lucky winner of a $500 Why Leave Town gift card won through Allure On Main.

“This week I am encouraging all businesses to decorate their shop windows for Christmas. I am urging you all to pull out your stored decorations and lights, or add something unique and different, but please get involved in this competition,” said Forbes Business Chamber President, Marg Duggan.

The Christmas Window Competition is a public competition with the public being asked to vote on their favourite windows.

The categories are Best Business Window, Best Innovative Display and Viewer’s Choice. Businesses from outside of the CBD are encouraged to participate. Register your business entry by emailing forbes. businesschambernsw@gmail.com and attach an image of your window. People will be asked to click on the image to vote for the Viewer’s Choice. The competition will be promoted through local news and social media. Participants can assist by sharing social media promotion.

“This year the CBD is welcoming local schools who are creating displays in empty shop windows. Businesses from outside of the CBD have been encouraged to bring a display into the windows. Times are very different this Christmas, so I am encouraging everyone to participate and enjoy the windows and to visit businesses,” said Marg.

There are three $200 Why Leave Town cards to be won. The windows must be completed by Friday, 4 December, as judging will take place between 5 and 12 December. Winners will be announced on Monday, 14 December. Can you leave your lights on? Yes, buy a timer and leave those windows sparkling in the evenings!

Terms and conditions for the window competition can be found on www.forbesbusinesschamber.com.au

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