Seniors Week Begins

Seniors Week is a festival designed to thank, celebrate and recognise seniors for the role they play and the contributions they make to the community.

Forbes Shire Council is a proud supporter of the NSW Seniors’ Festival which is now in its 60th year. If you are over 60, NSW Seniors’ Festival gives you the chance to make new friends or get together with old ones at an array of local community events. Seniors Week this year will start off with a concert at the Forbes Town Hall on Sunday, 8th April from 2.00pm.

From 10.30am on Wednesday 11th April, Mater Aged Care is hosting bingo. Families and community members are welcome to attend with great prizes on offer.

Jemalong Residential Village will be hosting a BBQ and entertainment on Thursday, 12th April from 12noon. The community is encouraged to come along and get involved. For information contact Briony on 6850 2355 or email briony.ferguson@forbes.nsw.gov.au.

Preventing Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration (MD) is a progressive eye disease in which the photoreceptors at the macular start to deteriorate and die due to the breakdown of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This causes a build-up of retinal metabolic waste that clinically appears as yellow spots, called drusen.”

Ways to promote macular health:

• After you turn 50 years old, have your eyes and macular checked regularly (every two years) by your optometrist.

• Abstain from smoking.

• Have a well-balanced diet. Include fresh fruit and vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables) daily, oily fish 2 to 3 times a week, handful of nuts a week and limit fat intake and high-GI carbohydrates.

• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight.

• Have adequate sun protection for your eyes.

Make an appointment today at Hansen Optometrists.

The Easter Festival this Saturday brings together different community groups and churches to thank the community of Forbes for their generosity over the last 12 months. This event will take place at Apex Park (near the aeroplane) starting at 10am.

The Easter Festival committee from Havannah House would like to invite everyone down to enjoy some ‘old school’ games such as three-legged races, sack races, fishing for eggs, thong toss, ring toss and tug-of-war.

This year there will also be a new junior obstacle course game for preschool age children. There will be plenty of prizes to be given away for those that take part in the games.

The day will have a free sausage sizzle, hot and cold drinks and will conclude with a 6,000 Easter egg hunt divided into three age groups.

The committee would like to thank Bunnings Forbes for getting on board this year for face painting.

There will be live music by Greg Prow. Also, there will be plenty of shade with the
two marquees.

The winners of the colouring in competition that was distributed to the local schools of Forbes, Bogan Gate and Eugowra will be announced on the day.

Warm weather forecasts over Easter and throughout April have prompted Forbes Shire Council and its pool contractor to extend the pool season until Saturday, 28th April.

“The Forbes pool has been such a popular place this season, it seems only logical to continue the season for swimmers,” Forbes Shire Council General Manager, Steve Loane said.

“At present the pool is a balmy 26.6 to 28.6 degrees, so it is a perfect temperature and means the pool users can enjoy another month of swimming,” he added.

As well as extending the season, the very popular water aerobics class will also be extended and an additional class added. A regular class has been held every Monday from 9.30am to 10.30am and now a second class will be held every Thursday from 11am to noon until the pool closes at the end of April.

“The new pool inflatable has created a lot of interest and we are trying to extend the season for as long as possible for the heated pool users we are accommodating,” said Steve.

The pool will continue to operate from 6am to 7pm seven days a week.

Forbes Preschool was established after a public meeting at the Forbes Town Hall on 13th May, 1957. The meeting was called when Noelle Smith and Joan Todd wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing a need and an interest in the establishment of a preschool kindergarten.

At that meeting a committee was formed and the following officer bearers were elected, Dr J Dent (Chairman), Dr J Dyce (Vice Chairman), C Haslingden (Treasurer) and G Ford (Secretary). It was decided at the meeting the Mayor of Forbes would be requested to become the patron of the preschool kindergarten.

A house to house canvas was conducted to ascertain the number of children and interest in establishing a preschool. As a result of the preliminary figures, it was agreed at the June 1957 meeting, to plan for a building to accommodate 25 children, a space of about 4,000 square feet.

The Bogan Street Preschool was officially opened on 10th October 1958 by His Excellency, the Governor of NSW Lieutenant General, Sir Eric Woodward.

In 2012 the Forbes Preschool received $1.2 million from the NSW Government to build a new preschool. The new preschool was officially opened on 3rd June, 2016. The new purpose built centre allowed for a daily registration increase from 39 to 100 places per day.

Forbes Preschool Director, Amy Shine said the priority is to ensure all children have access to an affordable preschool program.

“This increase in places also enables the preschool to ensure children on the priority list, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse children can have ready access to vitally important preschool services,” said Amy.

The new preschool allows accessibility for all children aged 3 to 5 years in our community. In particular children the year prior to school,” she added.

Why preschool?

Preschool and early education has long been identified as fundamental to promoting equity and excellence in young learners all through their educational journey.

At Forbes Preschool we hope to expand access to preschool so that as many children as possible can participate in our quality preschool programs for two years before starting school. All children benefit from high quality early education, but it is particularly beneficial for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and for the one in
four children who are developmentally vulnerable.

Preschool education is one step that can be taken to improve a society economically and socially. It has been shown children should begin to receive education before school since children experience substantial brain development during these early years.

Scientific research has proven that learning and mental development begin immediately after birth. During the first three years of a child’s life, essential brain and neural development occurs. Therefore, children greatly benefit by receiving education before formal schooling commences.

The following key benefits exist for preschool students, socialisation, cooperation, holistic development, enthusiasm for lifelong learning, value of experience based education, respect, teamwork, resilience, teamwork, concentration, patience, confidence, self esteem and exposure to diversity.

The conclusions drawn from most research about early childhood education are that individuals and societies greatly benefit, in terms of social, economic and other benefits.

The announcement this week securing the Corridor connecting the M7 to the Bells Line of Road at Kurrajong has the Mayors of Central NSW jumping for joy. John Medcalf, Chair of Centroc and Mayor of Lachlan Shire and Ken Keith Portfolio Mayor for Transport for Centroc and Mayor of Parkes attended the announcement, representing Central NSW.

“This is so very welcomed in Central NSW. At last we see some real action. The securing of the Corridor is the essential first step for the future development of better transport links between Sydney and our communities,” said John.

“To stand next to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight as she made this historic announcement was a great privilege,” he added.

“The communities of Central NSW and Western Sydney need certainty and to see direction, which is what the State Government has done,” said Keith.

John said transport constraints and connecting Central NSW communities to Sydney is their number one priority, especially for freight.

“It was also great to see recognition of the task ahead to build a safe swift link between Sydney and Central NSW, recognised in the recent publication of the Future Transport 2056 Plan. It’s all go in Central NSW where it is clear that our voices are being heard,” said John.

“Infrastructure Australia has identified that Central NSW will be in the top seven regions in Australia for Gross Regional Product in 2031, improving our transport links will be critical to ensuring our growing contribution to the State and National economies,” said Keith.

“I’m sure I speak for every Mayor of every community in our region when I say we are jumping for joy. Centroc’s next meet is in May at Parliament House in Sydney and we will be taking the opportunity to thank the NSW Government for investing in regional NSW,” said John.

Double demerit points will be in force again over the Easter holiday period to improve safety on roads across the state.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor said that the double demerit point period would commence on Thursday, 29th March and conclude on Monday, 2nd April (inclusive).

“Double demerit points will apply to all speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences this Easter holiday period. NSW police will also be targeting dangerous driving behaviours such as drink driving and driver fatigue.

“Since the inception of demerit points in 1997, there have been significant reductions in fatal crashes over the holiday periods.

“Mobile phone offences were added to the list of double demerit point penalties in December 2015, with the aim of deterring this dangerous and distracting behaviour.

“I ask all drivers to remain vigilant over the Easter holiday period. We all have a part to play in reducing the amount of crashes and risks. Remember to slow down, schedule plenty of breaks during your trip, limit distractions in the car, don’t drink and drive and ensure all your passengers are wearing their seatbelts,” said Melanie.

Lachlan Highway Patrol Sergeant, Dearne Jeffree is encouraging all road users to pay attention to road conditions and allow plenty of travel time.

“Drivers should be warned that they are at greatest risk of losing their licence during this five day period. There will be more police on the roads and therefore more chance of getting caught,” said Dearne.