Young Wildcare volunteer Lynda Oehm has been volunteering on and off for the last 30 years for Wildcare, and knows a thing or two about looking after kangaroos. In fact, she has looked after around 300 injured kangaroos and kangaroo joeys in that time, but with very few volunteers in the Central West caring for Wildcare at the moment, she said she is inundated with animals.

Close to Forbes, there are currently volunteers based in Goologong, but none in Forbes itself. Wildcare is an independent organisation that looks after injured wildlife, with carers that volunteer for them being specially trained to look after different types of animals. Wildcare is a 24/7 service, and generally,
takes injured wildlife into its care when members of the public, local rangers and local emergency services report the injured animals.

Animals’ injuries are assessed in the first instance, with veterinary attention brought in if required, and then volunteer carers look after the animals and maintain their health until they are assessed to be ready for the wild again. On average, the service receives around 2000 calls a year. Common circumstances
include dog and cat attacks on wildlife, motor vehicle collisions, and animals getting caught in netting or fencing.

More miscellaneous situations involve wombats getting stuck in bathtubs, brown snakes in rat traps, and possums in car bonnets. Ms Oehm specialises in looking after injured kangaroos and wallabies, and after years of constantly having new animals come to her, said it was important other people come on board.

“Looking after these kangaroos isn’t like having a pet. They’re not pets. It’s like raising a child. They need full time care,” she said. “We desperately need more volunteer carers, especially for birds, possums and reptiles. It’s becoming too much for the four of us that do it at the moment.” Wildcare liaison officer for Young, Sandra Latham, said licensed shooters (euthanasia) were also being sought.

Anyone interested in assisting Wildcare is asked to call 6299 1966.

Forbes Shire Council is reminding residents that the new kerbside waste, recycling and food and organics collection service starts the week commencing Monday, April 4. Once old yellow and red-lidded bins have been emptied, start using your three new bins in preparation for the first collection the week of April 4 to 8, which will be your red and green lidded bins.

The frequency of collection will be weekly for the green lidded bin and alternate fortnights for both the red and yellow lidded bins.

Every year, the Cabonne Country Balloon Glow and Night Market serve up some of the best food and wine the region has to offer. This year, the Night Market has expanded, with even more regional produce plus a large variety of craft stalls. “The event has really grown this year with so many more things for visitors to see and do whilst they in town. Crafts on offer include art works, goats milk products, handmade jewellery, children’s clothing, face painting and the ever popular glow wands will be available” Jan Kerr said.

To save waiting in queues call ahead into Cowra Visitor Information Centre or the Age of Fishes Museum for programs and to pre-purchase entry tickets. Tickets are $15 per adult and children aged 13 and over while children aged 12 and under go free. The gates will open at 3.30pm before festivities kick off at 4pm with a rugby match between Canowindra and Yeoval, a craft market, a food and wine market and non-stop entertainment including local dance and performance groups. Grab a glow wand and join the Balloon Glow from 7.15pm which will feature ‘Baby Blue’ the whale. Please remember to bring a chair or rug to sit on and ‘share our air’ on Saturday 9th April.

Jemalong Polo Club will be hosting a tournament on 9th and 10th April 2016 at their facility on the Lachlan Valley Way, Forbes. Competition for 3 grades will be for the historic Forbes polo trophies that date back to 1928. Games will commence at 9 am on both Saturday and Sunday and continue until trophy presentation on Sunday afternoon.

Teams and players will be coming from overseas, interstate and together with more local players will make for exciting and colourful polo.

More than one in three people 65 years or older fall at least once a year and aged care residents are even more at risk with up to half of these residents falling at least once a year. The importance of involving carers and patients in falls prevention is highlighted on 1 April, April Falls Day® with the theme – Share the Care: Falls Prevention is everyone’s business®.

Falls prevention activities are planned throughout the Health District during April and are being supported by Health Promotion and the Carer Support Program. These range from morning tea celebrations to information displays and exercise demonstrations. April Falls Day – Share the Care: The Canowindra Community Health Centre is hosting a Falls Prevention Morning Wednesday 6th April 2016 10am-1pm at the Canowindra Services & Citizens Club Hall. It will feature local exercise demonstrations from the Tai Chi & Rehab/Fitness classes, as well as information and display stands focusing on vision, suitable footwear and product aids to assist with falls prevention.

The community is invited along for the opportunity for a free falls/balance assessment from local health professionals. Clinical Excellence Commission, Falls Prevention Program Leader, Lorraine Lovitt said there was a particular focus on staff engaging with carers and patients to prevent falls and keep older people safe. “Carers are an important part of the care team in NSW public hospitals and other health settings,” Ms Lovitt said. Important information carers can share with health workers includes:
• Recent slips, trips or falls
• Changes in memory or thinking at home or in hospital
• Personal habits and history of help support and settle
• Changes in medications
• Personal aids used (glasses, hearing aids, walking sticks)
• Need for assistance with toilet, shower or self-care

The Forbes Arts Society had its first display for the year during the week, with the exhibition “Ninety Seven” showing at Town Hall. “Ninety Seven” displayed the works of Grenfell-based artists Kathleen McCue and Nina Roderick, and was named according to the number of pieces on display, which was 97.

Coincidentally, both Ms McCue and Ms Roderick went to art school together in
1997, however this played no role in coming to the name. The exhibition started last Wednesday and finished this afternoon (March 24). It was officially opened by Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller last Saturday, with around 30 arts enthusiasts turning up for the opening.

Forbes Arts Society Secretary Klara Ward said the exhibition offered more than just paintings, which displays normally wholly consist of. “Kathleen had lots of paintings of flowers, but she also had some really interesting
sculptures, including one made out of farming pieces,” she said. “So it’s been great to have some more variety.

Most of our displays only have paintings.” Ms McCue is known best for her upscale paintings of flowers that focus on their form, sculptural characteristics, and play light on their petals. Ms Roderick has only recently moved into professional artwork, and before that enjoyed creating art as a relaxation technique, according to her exhibition biography.

The exhibition displays paintings by her of wildlife amongst other images.
Ms Ward said the Society was happy to be up and running for the year.

Its other events for the year include a photography competition, Landscape of Forbes Shire art competition, and the Heritage Festival.