Ian Simpson of Ray White Rural said he always wanted to get involved in the town and help the community further and he is doing just that. “Our aim is to support the needs of kids, families and the community,” Ian said.

“We are volunteering to help out with everything, from reading to kids, to helping out with major fundraising projects. The company will be contributing to programs, being a part of them instead of just writing a cheque,” Ian said. This week the team from Ray White Rural helped put on a BBQ for Education Week at Forbes North Public School. The boys cooked five hundred sausages and the women buttered hundreds of bread slices. The school is currently working on a beautification project which includes creating an all new front yard for the school. A new disabled ramp has also been installed, an important feature the school never had before.

Ray White Rural has acquired two vintage bicycles; one will be raffled to raise funds for Forbes North and the other will be first prize in a colouring competition for Kinder to Year 2 children in the wider communities.

Woolworth’s popular Earn & Learn campaign is back, giving everybody the chance to contribute some amazing new educational equipment to schools and early learning centres across Australia.

Country towns like Forbes really benefit from these kinds of programs and they give locals the chance to think about education in the community and contribute to the skill growth of children. The last program reached 14,500 schools
and early learning centres, enabling them access to a whole new range of educational equipment.

Anybody who shops with Woolworths can take part because every $10 you spend there will earn you 1 Earn & Learn Sticker. Instead of throwing them in the bin or simply not accepting them at the checkout, stick them to a Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker Sheet. These are available at any Woolworths store and at your local schools as well as online at www.woolworths.com.au.

Once your Sticker Sheet is full, simply put it into a collection box at your local school or at Woolworths. That’s all it takes to contribute, so start collecting today and support your local schools!

The Forbes Country Bakehouse formed in June 1990 as a family business, starting out with a single baker and four day staff. In less than two years Kerrie had taken over, raising three girls – Amity, Giselle and Olivia – and running a successful business. You might call her a modern-day super woman.

25 years on, the team has grown to 4 bakers and 17 day staff. They now do large deliveries to other stores and businesses in the region showing how popular their menu has grown.

“I have watched so many different generations of families grow into the people they are today,” says Kerrie. “Different travellers that pass through the same time every year; you know you’re doing it right if you have people always coming back.” “We love to support the local community. We have pie drive fundraisers, savoury and
sweet, for clubs, committees, schools and sporting groups. Pie drives go from Forbes to Canowindra to Tullamore and everywhere in between.”

Over the years The Bakehouse has grown and expanded with Xtension, serving hot and cold drinks, pies, cakes and breads baked fresh daily. There is a full salad bar for your sandwiches and rolls, cooked meals like melts, delicious spuds, hotdogs, gourmet burgers, schnitzels and more. “All ingredients and products are sourced locally or handmade by us,” says Giselle, “support locals to feed locals.”

Their space caters for everyone, including a kids corner and their “read and relax” section where a gold donation is all it costs to borrow a book. Alternatively, customers are welcome to simply stop in for a coffee and a little bit of reading. Open from 6am to 5:30pm weekdays, and 6am to 12:30pm on Saturdays, don’t forget to pre-order your Friday sushi by Thursday. The Bakehouse is one of the fantastic nooks in Forbes to check out.

The Come and Drive It Day sponsored by Forbes Machinery and New Holland will be held at Forbes Showground on Tuesday 28th July. This is the first year of the event, which is being held all across the Central West. It is a great opportunity for local farmers to test drive and have a good look at some of the tractors and harvesters in action. Try
before you buy!

The full New Holland range of tractors will be on display, including the T8435 Smart Trax which is designed to reduce soil compaction when sowing or using for other purposes. There will also be one of the new Combine
CR9090 harvesters which can be used for summer and winter crops as well as slashers from Dominator, and a plough from Southern Cross.

Peter Nixon, Sales at Forbes Machinery said that rsvp’s are required to ensure nobody misses out, and there will be giveaways, lucky door prizes and the opportunity to go into the draw to win $4000 Blue dollars to spend on New Holland products, parts or service at your local dealer. You can also enjoy a free sausage sizzle lunch.

So if you haven’t booked a space, give Peter a call now on 02 6852 3211.

Community not-for-profit organisations in Forbes are being encouraged to apply for funding through the Community Building Partnerships program. “A total of $200,000 is available for community groups within the Orange electorate for building and improving community facilities,” Member for Orange Andrew Gee said.

“The Community Building Partnership program allows for community infrastructure to be built, refurbished or enhanced, making an important impact on the day-to-day lives of our local communities,” Mr Gee said. “In many cases the funds will go to much needed social infrastructure with sporting, youth, cultural and community clubs all benefiting from the project funding.”

Applications will be assessed on merit against the project criteria and should demonstrate how their project will benefit their local community. The applications period closes at 5pm on Friday 7 August. Applications can be lodged
at www.communitybuildingpartnership.nsw. gov.au where additional information about the program and the types of projects that will be eligible for funding are also available.

After a short hiatus in 2002, the Friends of the Forbes Hospital Auxiliary reformed in 2004, and currently has 14 members on the committee. This Auxiliary was commenced in 1927 and was then known as the United Hospitals Auxiliary- Forbes Branch.

The current members, some of whom have been there for many years, come from a multitude of backgrounds, and bring together a wealth of experience. One lone male, Norm Haley, joins the enthusiastic group, so come on blokes get along to the AGM on 7th August and join in.

In the past the Auxiliary has raised funds for a range of pieces of equipment, including larger items such as a new theatre table, emergency trolleys and some new maternity equipment, so they provide an essential part of ongoing welfare for the community. Their fundraising is done by running raffles at major times of the year, including Easter
and Christmas. Around $2500 has been raised in the past year and at this point in time even though the money has not been earmarked for anything in particular, they will receive a ‘wish list’ from the Hospital which they will review carefully before deciding where their efforts are best placed.

There are many generous benefactors in the town including Woolworths and people who are celebrating a special occasion who request donations to the Auxiliary rather than receive presents. This is a great way to support a charity of your choice. The spirit of a local town is very evident in Forbes and people are very supportive and generous in their time and in donations.

We all know that the backbone of a lot of regional towns is the necessity to have a fully equipped local hospital as it plays such a vital and essential role. The Auxiliary are looking forward to the refurbished hospital being officially open, which should be in the next couple of months.