Children across the Central West will be more secure following the training of 12 new Authorised Child Restraint Fitters. The fitters come from across the region – Lithgow, Dubbo, Forbes and Wagga Wagga.

The training was conducted by Mobility Engineering, who have been contracted by Roads and Maritime Service to oversee the Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station network in NSW for the past 20 years.

“Two in three child restraints are not being used properly. If you have trouble fitting or adjusting your child restraint, visit an Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station.”

The free one day training course was comprised of theory and practical sessions. During the theory session participants learnt about the different types of child restraints, the National Laws and vehicle modifications. During the practical session participants were required to correctly install three child restraints with and without gated buckles.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, welcomes the new Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station in Forbes – Forbes Auto Electrical.

“Thanks to Forbes Auto Electrical for attending, becoming a new Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station and helping to keep children safe. They will join our existing Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Station in Forbes – Jelbart Dawsons.

“The correct selection and installation of child restraints is vital. It is important to make sure that your precious cargo is safe and buckled up every time they are in the car – whether it’s a five minute or five hour journey,” Ms Suitor said.

Incapacity…Physically And Or Mentally

What might happen when you become unable to look after yourself is something that most people do not want to think about. While that is understandable, not having instructions in place can have unwanted effects.

Most people know about making a will and having instructions in place for when they die, but planning for being incapacitated in some way is very often overlooked.

Unfortunately, although you might be incapacitated in some way and cannot attend to things like paying your mortgage, keeping the car registered and so on, these things do not go away. Doctors and other professionals cannot make decisions about how to treat you and keep things in order when you cannot do so for yourself.

That is why it might be wise to draw up a set of instructions, to be carried out by a trusted family member, friend or professional, about how to manage your financial affairs and health decisions when you cannot. There are any number of reasons why you might not be able to manage: age, sickness, you are going overseas on your trip of a lifetime to climb Mt Everest…

In New South Wales you can appoint someone under an enduring power of attorney to look after your finances and an enduring guardian to make decisions about your health. Both documents are enduring in that they can operate even when you cannot. Both can be tailored to suit the level of care that you think you might require.

If you think that you, or a member of your family, might benefit from this sort of planning, we at MATTHEWS WILLIAMS can help you not only with the formalities, but with advice about the sorts of matters that might matter. Do contact us.

The NSW Business Chamber is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2018 Western NSW Regional Business Awards. Now in its sixth year, the Western NSW Regional Business Awards recognise excellence in business, leadership, entrepreneurship, sustainability, innovation, business growth and employment practices across the Central West, Orana and Far West regions.

Winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Award Celebration on Friday 11 May 2018.

Winners of the 2018 Western NSW Regional Business Awards will represent the region at the NSW Business Chamber’s State Business Awards held in November in Sydney.

Western NSW Business Chamber Regional Manager, Vicki Seccombe, said this year’s finalists represent a fantastic cross section of businesses from right across Western NSW. “These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate excellence in the local business community and showcase their success at a local, regional and state level.”

The 2018 Western NSW Regional Business Awards finalists from Forbes include HE Silos and Forbes Family Dentists in the following categories:

Outstanding Young Employee: Stevie- Leigh Morrison, HE Silos. Outstanding Business Leader: Laurence Storm, HE Silos. Excellence in Small Business: ForbesFamily Dentists and Excellence in Business: HE Silos.

Best of Luck!

The Lachlan Valley Caravan Club will be hosting The Biggest Morning Tea for Cancer Council Australia at Kiacatoo Hall on Friday, 25th May.

The club held the same event last year and managed to raise $922 for Cancer Council with the help of some locals calling in for a cuppa and lunch.

Once again, the event will offer morning tea at 10.30am and lunch at 12.30pm.

If you are in the area, feel free to join them for a cuppa, morning tea, lunch or stay for some fun and entertainment during the afternoon. There will be raffles, skits and musical entertainment. Everyone is most welcome.

The Lachlan Valley Caravan Club is based in The Lachlan Valley around Forbes and Orange. The club was formed in 2003 as Forbes Country Caravanners. In 2007 the name was changed to The Lachlan Valley Caravan Club, drawing members from far and wide, including Dubbo, Nowra, Wooli, Molong, Orange, Bathurst, Parkes, Tumbarumba and one member from Victoria.

The club conducts approximately nine rallies per year as well as a roving rally over a three week period. The most popular rally is the week long bush rally in May, usually along a river. This gives members the chance to try their hand at camp oven cooking, often getting very competitive.

The club currently has a membership of 132 and a total of 70 caravans/motor homes and is the fourth largest caravan club in New South Wales.

One of the joys of belonging to a caravan club, are the new friendships that are formed and enabling members to embark on journeys in the safety with others.

If anyone would like to know more about our club and caravanning life, visit our website lachlanvalleycaravanclub.org.au.

An amendment to the road rules was announced this week by Ministers Melinda Pavey and Troy Grant. It is aimed to enhance the safety of SES volunteers and other emergency personnel at the scene of an incident where they are working in close proximity to traffic.

The new rule will require drivers to slow down to 40km/hr when approaching a stationary or slow moving police or emergency vehicle with its red and blue lights flashing, and not to accelerate until safely past.

This important amendment will be trialled for 12 months from 1st September and is the result of close collaboration between NSW SES, the Department of Transport, The Sheep Field Day has a variety of demos for sheep OEM and other emergency services.

Community members have the next Rotary Ipomoea market to look forward to! With over 21 stalls booked in, there will be a wide range of homemade goods at the market held on Saturday, 14th April at the Sir Francis Forbes Park, Camp Street from 8am to 12.30pm.

The market will offer lots of good quality stalls including plants, jewellery, woodwork, craft, cakes and slices to name just a few. People visiting Forbes for the weekend’s rodeo might like to sample some Forbes home cooking, buy a cup of coffee from the coffee man or buy a hot breakfast from the Rotary breakfast van that is at every market. Rotary members will have a stall selling pumpkins, plants and a Mother’s Day raffle will also be a feature.

At the March market, new stall holders were seen and this month there will also be new stall holders. Regular marketers, such as Kate Speed’s stall of beautifully hand knitted toys, can also be expected. Kate and her husband Rob are from Waroo.