A special group of people who are often taken for granted was recognised last week during National Carers Week.

Carers are the people who look after our mothers and fathers, our grandparents and sometimes, unfortunately, our children. They hold a very important place in any family who rely on their time, support and generous nature. To many they are angels and at Currajong Disability Services (CDS), that’s how we see them.

According to http://www.carersweek.com.au: “National Carers Week is about recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution Australia’s 2.7 million unpaid carers make to our nation,” and this week is an opportunity to raise awareness and recognise carers and those in caring roles.

“National Carers Week is a chance to show appreciation for these special people and acknowledge their outstanding contributions,” said CEO Jeff Evans.

“I know many others within our industry would echo my sentiments when I say how vital carers are and for that on behalf of CDS I would like to say thank you,” said Jeff.

Currajong has two extremely active and respected carer support groups namely Currajong Carers Support Group (CCSG) and Currajong Autism and Special Needs Group (CASNG). According to Jeff, not only is what they do for clients and their families essential from a care perspective but they also provide a platform for all parties including carers to share experiences in a positive and supportive environment.

“The work Kitty Dwyer and Lethe Rawson have done for Currajong Carers Support Group and likewise Angela Wilson for the Currajong Autism and Special Needs Group has been incredible,” said Jeff.

“The positive impact on other families and carers from their dedication is evident via the popularity, growth and testimonials I have received about these two groups.

“I would like to also take this opportunity to thank and commend all concerned from these organisations for their efforts.”

by Dane Millard

Two young musicians are the stars of the concert by the Macquarie Symphony Orchestra at the Town Hall in Forbes on Saturday, 21st October.

One of the world’s favourite concertos, the Mozart Clarinet concerto, will be performed by Sandra Ismail, the winner of the Camplin Prize in the inaugural Macquarie Philharmonia Concerto competition.

“It is an opportunity of a life time and I will have to be fully prepared technically and mentally. It will be very special for me to perform a concerto with the Macquarie Symphony Orchestra because I grew up listening and playing in the orchestra as a student,” Sandra said.

Lucy Clarke-Randazzo, the Thompson Concerto prize winner, will play the dazzling violin concerto by Kabalevsky. She says she has been practicing Kabalevsky’s violin concerto for about 12 months and has never played it with an orchestra.

“I will love this opportunity as it is one of my favourite pieces and to experience being accompanied by a full orchestra will be so exciting and a great musical experience for me as I develop my ensemble skills”.

The concert begins at 7pm with canapés being served at 6pm. Tickets are available on line at www.eventbrite.com.au ($30 adults, $25 concession, children under 18 free) and at Forbes Shire Council. Tickets for the canapés ($20) must be bought separately

Vanfest coordinator Matt Clifton has collected a major industry award after claiming the national Rising Star category at the Australian Hotels Association Excellence Awards last month.

The award is the latest in a long list of accolades, which also includes the 2016 NSW Business Chamber Young Entrepreneur Award.

Forbes will benefit from Matt’s 12 years’ experience in hospitality and event management, which will be evident in the execution of Vanfest 2017.

“This recent award cements Matt’s reputation as a forward thinking specialist in this industry and this national acknowledgment will have flow on effects to Forbes’ reputation,” Forbes Shire Council’s General Manager Maxwell Kershaw said.

Matt intends to build a festival that offers a unique experience that is both authentic to the rural setting and will draw national attention to Forbes as a destination.

Maxwell said Vanfest ticket sales have continued their strong trend. “So far 3455 weekend passes have been sold. In addition all local accommodation is now booked. These are just two small examples of the economic benefits that will flow to Forbes from Vanfest,” he said.

It’s official! Twelve locals from Forbes will be part of 3,800 batonbearers who will carry the Queen’s Baton during the 100-day countdown to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games next year.

The 12 locals are a good representation of the community. They are Wendy Green, Taylah Hemming, Denise Jelbart, Robyn Kenny, Robin Lyell, Ethan Markwort, Peter Moore, Christopher Roylance, Yvonne Shaw, Lester Sheather (living in Young), James Smart (living in Seaforth) and Rob Willis.

Forbes is one of eight overnight stops in NSW, and the baton will reach the town on Monday, 29th January 2018.

The batonbearers will take more than a million steps collectively across Australia to bring it to its final destination at the Opening Ceremony on 4th April 2018. Each batonbearer will carry the baton for approximately 200 metres.

The baton starts its Australian journey on 25th December. It will travel through every state and territory covering 40,000km.

Since its launch from Buckingham Palace on 13th March, the baton has gone across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe. It is in Malaysia currently and will visit the remaining 15 Commonwealth nations in Asia and Oceania before arriving in Australia.