Alex Boyton with his catch on Straney’s Bridge on the Lachlan River recently.

Even though mums give us so much help and love every day, there’s only one Mother’s Day, and this year it is on Sunday, 12th May. Show your appreciation and love and make it a memorable day this year.

Here are some ideas to help you make Mother’s Day 2019 as special for your mum, as special as she is to you.

Don’t miss the Forbes Riverside Community Garden Pre-Mother’s Day Market and Devonshire Tea, including pop up market stalls, on Saturday 11th May from 9am to 12pm. Also, get in early to register for their free fun-filled workshop in making Kokedama Balls. Call Heather on 0409 029 529 or email forbescommunitygarden@gmail.com to book now.

Why not spoil Mum with lunch at the Forbes Services Memorial Club and enjoy great live music from your favourtie entertainers Terry and Nigel “Two Much Trouble”. Live music will be on from 12noon –4pm.

Crave Café and Catering in Rankin St will also be open on Mother’s Day. Bookings are essential so please call 6851 5296 to make a booking.

Don’t forget to shop local this Mother’s Day, head into Painted Daisies on Templar St where you can find a great range of home and giftware perfect for Mum! News on Rankin also have everything just right to make Mum’s Day perfect, call in and see Gabe and her friendly team at 70 Rankin St, Forbes.

Children love to make homemade gifts too.

There are plenty of very handy DIY ideas online to give mum a very special gift that she will be able to use for a long time to come. Many ideas use supplies you already have hanging around the house, including wool, paper, a mason jar and even an old shirt!

To make the day even more special, get the kids to help whip up a delicious brunch or treat for mum (remember to clean the kitchen as well!).

Create a playlist for your Mother’s Day brunch, lunch or dinner with these sentimental songs…

1. Mama’s Song – Carrie Underwood

2. I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

3. A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men

4. Mom – Garth Brooks

5. Turn To You – Justin Bieber

6. Hey Mama – Kanye West

7. The Best Day – Taylor Swift

8. Baby Mine – Alison Krauss

9. Like My Mother Does – Lauren Alaina

10. Mama Liked Roses – Elvis Presley

A Mother’s Day film is a great way to end a fun day with Mum. Here are a few movie ideas she might enjoy …

1. Mother’s Day

2. Step Mom

3. Bad Moms

4. Instant Family

5. The Parent Trap

More than a year ago a not-for-profit organisation named Boys To The Bush was registered. Since then the need for such a concept in today’s day and age has become more evident with the initiative growing from strength to strength.

Boys To The Bush was founded by three school teachers. Adam DeMamiel, Richard Leahy and Tim Sanson had been running camps and boys education programs at their own school for over a decade and saw the benefits of it every day.

Adam, Richard and Tim were stopped regularly by ex-participants and parents or carers and told how important the initiative had been in their own or their sons’ lives. Many participants gained apprenticeships and employment as a direct result of their involvement in these programs.

In the past 18 months alone, Boys To The Bush has connected and engaged with over 200 boys and the majority of participants have been returning regularly. Of these, approximately 85 percent have no male influence in their lives and approximately 60 percent of participants identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

This fast growing organisation has been established while all involved are working in full-time positions outside of Boys To The Bush. Probably the explanation why co-founder, Adam taught his last lesson at Albury High School just over a week ago. “I have taken a ‘leap of faith’ and decided to go ‘all-in’ with Boys To The Bush,” said Adam.

“Presently, we are conducting school holiday camps for youth aged 10 to 16. Our camps are based around our three core principles namely engagement, resilience and community,” explained Adam.

“We have already established fantastic relationships with local Men’s Sheds, local tradespeople and local farmers. These relationships are assisting us in working towards our vision of ‘All boys become good men’. We do this simply by surrounding the participants with positive male influences,” he continued.

Boys To The Bush is aiming to increase their capacity to connect and engage with 10,000 boys annually within five years. This will occur via training more staff and getting communities behind the programs. The organisation is governed by a board of 10 directors that meet regularly to oversee the direction of the programs.

“When the communities take ownership of the programs by donating their time, goods, services and/or money we are able to support more of our youth,” said Adam. “What we are finding is that the communities are benefiting greatly. Those that are assisting in some capacity are gaining a real sense of pride in being part of real change.”

“We aim to increase the number of camps delivered as well as delivering programs for our local schools’ disengaged youth. These programs will include mentoring, mental health, first aid, financial literacy and healthy living education.”

“Boys To The Bush is already making a huge impact in the lives of young males. Our goal is for our communities to gain better sons, better students, better employees, better fathers, better husbands and better blokes. We don’t tell them how to do this, we show them,” said Adam.

The annual Forbes Diggers Race Club Anzac Day race meeting featured a new memorial race this year in honour of Ted Clifford. Edward Frank Clifford, affectionately known as Ted, was born in Parkes on 23rd June 1934. He moved to Forbes with his family and was one of four children of Nellie and Frank Clifford.

He had a passion for farming, horses, greyhounds and poultry. Ted worked many horses at the Forbes Paceway, with his son Jamie. Some of the best performing horses they were involved in included Stingoe’s Pride, Monarch Adios and Clear Harbour.

In his later life he raced horses in ownership with his eldest grandson, Robert who now trains and drives, as well as other members of the Clifford family “including Munyak and Shifting Kiwi”.

Ted sadly passed on 25th February 2017. Ted’s family is grateful that the Forbes Diggers Race Club has allowed them to hold a race in his honour. Ted is greatly missed by his family and friends.

Your chance to nominate someone for an Emergency Services Award is here.

“In any emergency we all know we can call the 000 number for help. Over two million people each year make that call to seek support from people who are some of the real heroes in the community,” said Deanne Stewart, CEO of First State Super.

Deanne Stewart was commenting on the opportunity for people in NSW and the ACT to recognise the selfless and inspiring efforts of emergency services workers and volunteers. Nominations are open for the Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards which are sponsored by Rotary and supported by First State Super.

The awards are unique, in recognising all six emergency services paid staff and volunteers who work in: Fire and Rescue NSW; Marine Rescue NSW, NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, the NSW State Emergency Service; NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Ambulance Service.

Anyone wishing to nominate an emergency services worker for these awards can do so at https://resca.awardsplatform.com/.

Nominations close on 1st May with finalists announced at Parliament House on 19th June and the winners recognised at a gala dinner on 3rd August.

Over the next 10 days Canowindra will awake each morning to hot air balloons filling the skies.

The Supagas Canowindra International Balloon Challenge takes place this time each year as Canowindra boasts perfect ballooning conditions.

“Canowindra is situated in a basin, which means the high winds mostly pass over the top thus the winds are generally calm. The road network is also extremely good for retrieving the balloons after they land,” said Jan Kerr from the Supagas Canowindra International Balloon Challenge.

The official competition will kick off this weekend with the Key Grab to be held this Sunday morning 21st April. The Key Grab is probably the most spectacular event for the public to see. Balloons launch from a site of their choosing, with the aim to fly in to try and pluck a large key from the top of a flagpole. The key represents a major cash prize for the first one to get it. Spectators can gather outside a safety exclusion zone around the flagpole to watch the fleet approach and cheer the pilots on.

The balloons will then start to compete each morning and afternoon around town from Monday 22nd April.

Of course the 10 day event will finish off with the famous Cabonne Country Balloon Glow on Saturday 27th April with gates opening at Canowindra Showground from 3pm. Don’t miss the amazing spectacle of balloons lighting up the night sky at the Balloon Glow and Night Market.

To book tickets for Flickerfest, the Anzac Campfire Cookout or the Cabonne Country Balloon Glow please go to the event website www.canowindrachallenge.org.au.

A full program of events is also available online.