New and expectant mothers are back in the pool for another round of aqua fitness.

Aqua Fitness Returns: NSW Community Health and the School and Community Centre (SACC) kicked off round two of their aqua fitness program for new and expectant mothers at the Forbes Olympic Pool last week. The program runs for six weeks with sessions on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am – 9.45am with child minding available at the Youth and Community Centre next door to the pool. This program is a fantastic initiative in its fifth year of involving new and expectant mothers in gentle exercise, something that is often quite difficult for this demographic of women to access, despite its important role in maintaining both physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. Not only are participants getting exercise, and a short break from the pressures of caring for an infant, they are also forming friendships with other women with babies who they wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to meet.

Launching Rocket Learners: Parents of pre-kindergarten children are invited to come along to an information session on the ins and outs of Best Start. This session is the first of four sessions run by the Schools as Community Centres in their Launching Rocket Learners program. The Best Start information session will be held at Forbes North Public School on Thursday, 20th February from 1.30pm to 2.20pm with child minding available. After the session there will be an afternoon tea held until school pick up time. The following three sessions will be; ‘Literacy – a Journey, Not a Destination’, ‘Strategies to Help an Anxious Child’ and ‘Big Ideas in Number’.

Businesses Join Forces: The Free Cuppa for the Driver scheme is celebrating 10 years and four local businesses have put their hands up to help fight driver fatigue and reduce the road toll. Participating businesses in Forbes are Isabel’s Place, Forbes Bakehouse, Forbes Inn Hotel/Motel and Subway – Forbes. A total of 92 businesses across the Hunter, South West and Western regions of NSW will participate to encouraging drivers to take regular breaks by offering a free cup of tea or coffee to any driver more than 100km away from their home. “If it wasn’t for the participating businesses supplying the ‘free cuppas’, this scheme wouldn’t be possible,” said Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor. The ‘Free Cuppa’ website, freecuppa.com.au, allows drivers to search for the nearest participating business. There is also an active Facebook page.

Forbes businesses are proudly supporting the ‘Free Cuppa for the Driver’ scheme in 2020.

Upgrades to the ski dam taking place, see page 7 for more information.

Giving Back to The Community: On Tuesday Bernardi’s supermarket store manager Jason presented cheques to the three beneficiaries of round two of their ‘Building Better Communities’ program. The Forbes supermarket donated a total of $5,000 to Forbes Junior Rugby, St Laurence’s P&F and the Forbes Fins. The final tally saw Forbes Fins receiving $2,500, St Laurence’s Parish School Forbes with $1,500 and Forbes Junior Rugby receiving $1,000. What a fantastic initiative by Bernardi’s.

Can You Assist CanAssist: Graeme Howie from the Howie Bros and country entertainer and comedian Robbie Edge will be performing their ‘Morning Melodies’ show at the Forbes Service Club on Monday 17th February from 10.30am til 12pm. The tickets are $15 at the door and proceeds will go to the CanAssist Cancer Assistance Network. CanAssist is a charity that is committed to ensuring all people, regardless of where they live in NSW, can access cancer treatment and care. By providing accommodation, financial assistance and practical support to people from rural and regional areas, CanAssist ensures that country people are given the same opportunities and treatment choices as those who live in city centres.

World Wetlands Day: Last Sunday was World Wetlands Day and what a wonderful reminder of the upgrades to our own facilities at the Gum Swamp bird hide coming in 2020. Forbes is so fortunate to house such diverse ecosystems. Wetlands are important because they absorb and store water, remove pollutants from water and a whopping 40% of all species live or breed in wetlands. Not only do wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem, they also attract visitors for recreation and tourism, making their importance economically tangible. It will be wonderful to see much deserved upgrades to the Gum Swamp bird hide facilities, making it more accessible and user friendly to the public.

Gum Swamp is such a beautiful place, soon to be enjoyed by many more.

Tyrone Howell with his impressive catch.

Forbes Fish Biting: On the back of host- ing the world premiere of fishing film ‘Total Native II’ Forbes residents and visitors alike are reeling in impressive catches. Last Wednesday, 10-year-old Tyrone Howell was thrilled to catch an absolute whopper of a fish measuring at 98cm in length. A personal best for Tyrone. Ruth and Patrick Furlong enjoyed fishing the Lachlan River on their recent trip to Forbes. Ruth caught her first fish ever and both caught Murray Cod. It is fantastic to see a continued passion for the sport in and around Forbes that involves people of all ages.

Holiday Recap: School resumed this week after a seemingly never-ending holiday period. There was, however, never a shortage of events and activities hosted by Council and various community groups. From the inflatable obstacle course at Lions Park, Elvis Festival breakfast, candle making workshops, markets, a twilight cinema and much more residents and visitors were always sure to find something to do in Forbes.

The Forbes Phoenix urges its readers to continue to support these events so that they can continue to run and further improve the well being and quality of life in our community. Please keep up to date with upcoming events and activities on page seven in our ‘What’s On’ list.

Contributions: Email your Be Seen photos, Stork News, Engagement News or Wedding Bells to editor@forbesphoenix.com.au to feature in The Phoenix!

Behind the Prize: Former Red Bend Catholic College Student and Indigenous man Patrick Ikaringanyi Ferguson is the creative and cultural genius behind the Adelaide Open 2020 trophies. Patrick’s famous woodcarving created trophies for the women’s singles and doubles trophies as well as the men’s singles and double’s trophies.

The Coolamon for the women’s singles went to Australian Ashleigh Barty and doubles were presented to America’s, Nicole Melichar and China’s Xu Yifan. The Men’s singles trophy, a Rainbow Serpent, went to Andrey Rublev of Russia and Shield for the Men’s doubles were presented to Frabrice Martin of France and Máximo González of Argentina.

Patrick stated that creating these pieces for the winners of the Adelaide Open was like gifting the winners “a part of me, a part of Australia.”

Adelaide Open 2020 Women’s singles winner Ashleigh Barty holding the handcrafted Coolamon trophy.

 

Senior Constable Kelvin Jubb from the local Highway Patrol will be one of the many Police Officers patrolling local roads over the long weekend.

Don’t Forget Double Demerits: Drivers are being reminded that double demerit points will be in force for four days for this long weekend. From Friday, 24 January to Monday, 27 January for all speeding, seatbelt, motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences, double demerits will be applied.

NSW Police’s Central West Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Melanie Maguire is encouraging all road users to pay attention to road conditions and allow plenty of travel time this long weekend. “The increase in traffic over the long weekend increases the risk of crashes occurring. We all have a part to play in reducing the number of crashes and risks. Remember to slow down, schedule plenty of breaks during your trip, don’t drink and drive, limit distractions in the car and ensure all your passengers are wearing their seatbelt,” Acting Sergeant Maguire said.

Nominations Open for Local Sporting Talent: The Forbes Sportsperson of the Year Committee are calling for all local sporting organisations to submit nominations for the annual awards before the end of January. Nominations are open for local athletes, administrators, officials and coaches. Winners to be announced at the Annual Awards Presentation Dinner to be held on Saturday, 7 March at the Forbes Services Memorial Club commencing at 6:30pm. Nominations forms can be found on the Forbes SOYA Facebook page or by contacting organisation secretary, Anita Morrison on 0405 364 512 or email morrisonaj68@gmail.com.

Market to Make a Difference: Come down to the Forbes Golf Club on Thursday, 30 January from 7pm-9pm. Everyone is invited to this fun market night with plenty on offer for all. Essential oils, clothing, handmade soaps, jewellery, cakes and melts and more will be on offer. There will also be a silent auction for some of the donated goods. All funds raised will be going to people who have lost homes in the recent bushfires. Half of the funds raised will be going to people who have lost homes via Nowra Rotary Club. Nowra Rotary have been very generous in supporting people in and around Forbes during the ongoing drought so now is a chance to offer support. The other half will be going to a Wonboyn resident who lost his home. Cost to enter is a gold coin donation.

Come down to the Golf Club on Thursday for your chance to win beautifully handcrafted items.

Congratulations to Forbes High School’s Claudia Cheney who received the Phil Donato MP School Citizen Award of 2019.

Extreme Heatwave Warning: The Western NSW Local Health District is reminding people to be cautious during the extreme heatwave conditions that are forecast across the region for the rest of the week. It is advised for people to minimise outdoor or physically strenuous activities with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees Celsius.

Heat related injury is serious and can cause serious illness as well as exacerbate existing illnesses. Forbes residents with chronic medical conditions and those over 75 years of age are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness. Younger, healthier Forbes community members are urged to check on elderly friends, family and neighbours whenever possible.

Be aware of the signs of heat-related illness, they include dizziness, tiredness, irritability, thirst, fainting, muscle pains or cramps, headache, changes in skin colour, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, vomiting and confusion. If symptoms occur, get to a cool place and seek medical attention if the signs are severe. In an emergency situation call Triple Zero (000).

Another School Year Complete: Forbes Public School students from Kindergarten, year one and year two received a visit from summer Santa and his real-life elf on Tuesday. Their visit, coupled with the annual end of year party and water fight, ensured junior students ended their school year on a high. Next year will see the largest intake of Kindergarten students at Forbes Public School in many years with an extra class being made to accommodate the children.

Bust The Dust: Forbes North Public School joined hundreds of other schools across NSW and even parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory for the Bust The Dust rain dance on Friday last week at 1pm. The dance is part of a campaign created by students of Trangie St John’s Parish School that aims to lift spirits and cheer people up who are struggling with the pressures of the drought this festive season. With more than 500 schools registered, the dance has raised just over $8000 for Rural Aid Australia, as of Wednesday 18th December. Students left their classrooms at 1pm to dance and kick up the dust, a fantastic way to start summer and end their schooling year.

Charlotte Markwort and Lucia Bilsborough of Forbes North Public School enjoyed a thorough coating of colour in the school’s annual colour run.

Kyreeka Griffiths, Jalaki Griffiths, Kath Wighton, Lakeisha Griffiths, Charlize Griffiths.

Keeping spirits, and clothes, bright at Forbes North Public School: What better way to beat the dust, heat and flies than to have a colour run and celebrate the simple things in life. Friday, 29th November saw the annual colour dusting of staff and students at Forbes North Public School. With thanks for the generous support of Council, the school was able to provide a range of obstacles for the students to traverse while being smothered in colour.

Smiles were all around while the students cleared the hay bale hurdles in one stride and bravely dived on the slip and slide. Everyone was more than happy to pose for the occasional photo. Forbes North Public School Teacher and colour run coordinator Dell Welsh was pleased with the event, stating “It was a fabulous afternoon for the children to get outside and have some fun while also doing some fundraising for the school.”

Water Security In Forbes: Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller, wants the community and visitors alike to understand that the shire is not running out of water, stating that “Forbes is situated in a very unique position along the Lachlan River and with the current Wyangala Dam water releases of 900ML/day, our town residents can be assured the current water restrictions will look after us well into 2020 despite zero inflows.”

Rotary Club of Forbes President Grahame Uphill, guest speaker Selina Win Pe and Rotary member John Zannes.

Finding Peace in Giving; Amendment and Update: It was the Rotary Club of Forbes, not the Forbes Lions Club who organised and hosted the wonderful guest Selina Win Pe last week as initially reported on in last weeks “Finding Peace In Giving” Snippet. The Forbes Phoenix deeply regrets this mistake that was made and wishes to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Rotary Club of Forbes and the fantastic work they do for the Forbes community. Special thanks to Forbes Rotary member John Zannes for his work in getting Selina to Forbes. Selina will be returning to Forbes next Tuesday, 10th December with a new Renault 2 tonne van which has been donated for her Farmer Support program. The van will be fully loaded with supplies for Nell’s Pantry and disadvantaged school students.

Nominations Open for Citizen of the Year: Forbes Shire Council are calling for nominations for the 2020 Citizens of the Year. The Forbes Shire Citizens of the Year will be held in three categories:

Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year for nominees who are 25 years or older.

Forbes Shire Young Citizen of the Year for nominees who are 25 years or younger.

Forbes Shire Senior Citizen of the Year for nominees who are 65 years or older.

Nomination forms are available online at www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/residents/community-information/australia-day-2019.aspx

Forbes Finest: Gibson’s Grove Ligurian style olives took home Gold at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show’s class 4 of the Oil and Olives Classes with a score of 88. The show is run by the prestigious Royal Agricultural Society, a not for profit organisation committed to supporting rural agricultural development and rural communities in Australia. Congratulations to Clare and Greg of Gibson’s Grove Olives, Forbes.

Youth Ambassadors Give Voice to Forbes Youth: Forbes Shire Council recently selected six Ambassadors from Forbes North Public School, St Laurences Parish School and Bedgerabong Public School as part of the Council Ambassador Program which is part of the Local Government NSW Week. Year five students applied for the role by submitting written applications and attending Council run leadership training sessions at the Forbes Youth and Community Centre. The program is a fantastic opportunity for Forbes students to connect and communicate with Council on behalf of their peers while gaining invaluable communication and leadership skills in the process.

The six successful Ambassadors; Charlie Bray and Ruby Jones from St Laurences, Halle Brown and Samantha Noakes from Bedgerabong Public School and Milli Robson and Charlotte Markwort from Forbes North Public School.

Selina Win Pe and Grahame Uphill reading the winning numbers for the Lions Club raffle on Wednesday evening.

Finding Peace In Giving: Last week on Wednesday evening Selina Win Pe gave a talk about her mission to improve the lives of country children, farmers and communities at the Forbes Services and Memorial Club, hosted by the Forbes Lions Club. Selina, who survived the 2014 Lindt Siege has sought alternative methods in her journey of healing from the trauma of the siege. Part of her healing has put her on a path of helping others which is why Selina is travelling across rural and remote NSW to meet with farmers and town people to gauge what different people need in their respective towns and to deliver whatever resources she can. Thanks to John Zannes and the Forbes and District Lions Club for inviting Selina to speak and for organising the evening. More information is available on Selina’s website www.selinawinpe.com.au

Pool Safety Reminder: With summer on our doorstep Forbes Shire Council is urging residents to assess pool safety at home. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment to talk to Council staff about their inflatable pool and fencing requirements. Appointments can be made by calling Council on 6850 2300 during office hours.

A Spectacular Weekend For Trundle Students: Year 7 students Charlie and Maggi Anderson, Sam Charlton and Oliver Dunn from Trundle Central School joined more than 150 other students from across drought ravaged NSW for a special week- end away in Sydney to see the Schools Spectacular.

The Trundle students travelled to Sydney as part of Wish Upon a Star, a joint initiative of the Department of Education and the Office of Sport and Transport NSW, supported by sponsors from RØDE Microphones and REX Airlines. The students were selected to attend the 2019 Schools Spectacular by their Principal, John Southon, as a reward for their good behaviour and merit.

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell joined the visitors at the Saturday matinee of Schools Spectacular after they had enjoyed a day at the surrounding Sports and Recreation Camps, and said it was fantastic to see students whose communities are struggling from the impacts of drought able to relax and see a world-renowned show, “I hope that these young people have had a weekend to remember, and one that boosts their classmates when they return home and share their joy.”

Trundle Central school students attended the Schools Spectacular last weekend which included 5500 performers, including a 100 piece symphony orchestra.

Shirley Dukes, Hannah Demamiel, Beck Cheney and Caitlin Lewis resisted the temptation at the Spring Fair cake stall.

Spring Fair In Full Bloom: Forbes Public School held their much anticipated Spring Fair last Friday evening and the turnout was nothing short of spectacular. Hundreds of men, women and children joined in the many games, entertainment and activities that were on offer. Attendees were also well nourished by the sea of sweet treats at the cake stall, busy BBQ and various other snacks on offer. Teachers and even Principal Megan Staples took turns at being dunked into an icy tank of water as they heckled students. Teachers, families, volunteers and community members in attendance were all in high spirits for the event, which provided a fun and affordable night for the Forbes community.

Teacher Joshua Avis in a split second of regret as he plunges into an icy tank of water.

Looking better than ever, the Eternity sculpture is back for all to enjoy. (Photo: Forbes Shire Council Facebook)

At Our Fingertips: The FarmHub website has received an upgrade to better support farmers and families on the land. The website has new features like climate information developed from the Bureau of Meteorology to help manage climate risk, more than 100 learning and development programs farmers can use to upskill and information on where to source different kinds of assistance. Delivered by the National Farmers Federation, the website aims to provide the latest information to help farmers make decisions that will sustain them through the drought. Visit FarmHub at farmhub.org.au.

Pat Nolan and Kym Weaver of Currajong Disability Services.

Forbes Shire Council and Currajong Disability Services have teamed up with other NDIS providers to recognise International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) on 3rd December with a series of events at the Forbes Memorial Pool. It is the second time in as many years both groups have come together to stage this key event.

“We are extremely happy to have Currajong involved again,” said Sarah Williams of Forbes Shire Council. “Last year was such an outstanding success with the coverage second to none. So it made sense to do it all again.”

The event will not just be a celebration of people with a disability but also a chance for other providers and organisations to connect and share experiences and ideas. “We are really excited about it and have some great things planned,” said Sarah.

IDPwD is a United Nations sanctioned day that is celebrated internationally. It aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.