Living & Lifestyle Archives - Page 24 of 51

Don’t Be Bored These School Holidays

September 14, 2023 by Roxane Manley

With the sun setting on Term three, Forbes Shire Council has been busy planning to ensure a variety of free activities are available these school holidays.

This school holiday program features fishing workshops, an outdoor movie, a theatre performance, the opening of Forbes Town Pool on 1st October, craft workshops, Creative Community Concepts will host a footy for fun event and a magic festival – wow!!!!

First off the rank are the popular fishing workshops, with two sessions to choose from on Monday 25th September. Set on the banks of the beautiful Lake Forbes, these free workshops fill up quickly so make sure you book in early. If you don’t have a rod don’t worry – there are enough available for you to borrow.

Head to Lions Park on Saturday 7th October for the Magic Festival, the first of its kind in Forbes. Be amazed by roving magicians and enchanted by a stage show finale, feast on the offerings of food vendors and relax in the company of friends. Tickets to the show are free, but essential, head to 123tix.com.au

For more information on the Forbes Shire Council youth programs head to https://www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/community/community-services-and-information/families-and-youth-services/youth-programs

Do You Believe In Magic?

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Come along for a first of its kind, magical evening for Forbes.

Lions Park will set the stage for an evening of pure magic next month, hosted by Forbes Shire Council. Roving magicians will weave their way through the crowd, entertaining with their sleight of hand and their mysterious ways.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM urged residents and visitors to bring their chairs and rugs for sunset on Lake Forbes, free of charge.

Food vendors will be on site, and after the four roving magicians have cast their spell, a stage spectacular will take place from 7pm to 8pm.

A sensory friendly session has been scheduled for Friday October 6th from 1pm –3pm. “We recognise that some peoplehave differing needs that might not suit alarge event such as the one at Lake Forbeson Saturday evening,” Mayor Miller said.

“We are offering an up close and personal magic show at the Town Hall on Friday afternoon – it will not have the big bangs and loud music! It is free of charge, but please RSVP to events@forbes.nsw.gov.au as numbers are limited.

“It is exciting to welcome magic back to Forbes after an extremely successful magic show last year – the magicians had so much fun and loved the interaction with the community and are looking forward to their return!,” Mayor Miller said.

“Lions Park is fast becoming a hub for exceptional social gatherings, with the area perfectly framed works completed under the Lake Forbes Activation Project funded by the NSW Government. It is the perfect place for the community to connect and enjoy the outdoor space,” Mayor Miller said.

What magical event will Council pull out if its hat next?

The Forbes Magic Festival is on Saturday 7th October from 5pm until 8pm. Tickets are free but essential, so head to: Forbes Magic Festival Tickets (123tix.com.au)

Biggest Firework Display Ever At Forbes Show

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

School work hung for judging and display. Come have a look.

It’s one of the most exciting times of the year, the Forbes Show. Come along and enjoy the fireworks, sideshow alley, pavilions, dog high jump, ring events, shearing, young woman, rural ambassadors, dog trials and so much more.

The CMOC Northparkes Mines firework display will be at 8pm on Friday 8th September. Head to the Forbes Show to get the best view in town. A big thank you to Northparkes Mines for their continued support of the Forbes Show.

Remember pre-purchase your tickets and save yourself time at the gate. https://www.123tix.com.au/events/39629/forbes-show

Pension Boosted But More Needed For Those In Need

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Results from the 11th Seniors Social Survey.

From 20th September, the Age Pension, the Veteran Payment, the Disability Support Pension and the Carer Payment will receive an increase because of indexation.

The maximum rate of the single Age Pension will rise by $32.70 per fortnight, taking it from $1,064 to $1,096.70. For couples, it will increase by $49.40 per fortnight, taking their combined payment from $1,604 to $1,653.40.

Chief Advocate Ian Henschke said while people who rely on the Age Pension will welcome the increase, under the current system pensioners are still behind, especially when inflation is unusually high.

Several other government payments will also be increased on 20th September in line with announcements made in the May Budget.

A welcome change is the 15% increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance. The maximum rate for an eligible single renter will rise by $27.60 to $184.80 per fortnight, for a couple by $26 to $174.

“It’s a good start but more needs to be done to help” Mr Henschke said.

“More can be done to support older people doing it tough. As recent National Seniors research showed, a greater proportion of people with low incomes and those who are renting are suffering from cost-of-living pressures,” Mr Henschke said.

“For example, 39% of older renters told us they were experiencing severe cost-of-living impacts compared to only 11 % of older homeowners.

“What we need is additional targeted support for people with limited means and to stop punishing those who need to work.

“We want a change to income test rules for pensioners who want to work and work more. We will continue to fight for a system that improves people’s lives.”

Savour The Colours Of Spring At The Orange Wine Festival

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

We continue to see the evolution of world class wines from the Orange Wine Region.

Get ready to savour the essence of the finest wines of the season as the 2023 Orange Wine Festival returns to the Orange region with a month-long program, from 29th September to 29th October. This year’s highly anticipated event promises an extraordinary celebration of our region’s cool-climate wine and wine culture, attracting connoisseurs, enthusiasts, and travellers from near and far.

An opportunity to immerse yourself in the enchanting allure of Orange, where lush vineyards meet rolling hills, and the art of winemaking comes alive. The 2023 Orange Wine Festival showcases the diverse array of vineyards, each boasting their own unique terroir and distinctive varietals. From seasoned wine aficionados to those discovering their palate, there’s something to delight every taste bud.

Ned Sweetapple, Orange360 General Manager added; “Wines of the Orange region get noticed and Spring is such a beautiful and colourful time to visit. This year’s Orange Wine Festival is all about colour and taste and we’re thrilled to offer such a diverse program to entice visitors to the region. There are so many good things to enjoy in spring, our region’s latest wine offerings, paired together with fresh local produce and great dining, art, culture, and music.”

Events include:

• Orange Wine Show Tasting: 14th October

• Food & Wine @ Altitude: 28th October

• Boree Lane Ramble: 7th October

• NRL Grand Final at Mortimers: 7th October

However, if these big-ticket items aren’t for you, there are plenty of low-cost events that allow everyone to get involved in celebrating the 2023 Orange Wine Festival, including the popular Night Markets on Friday, September 29th. Further low-cost events include:

• Orange Wine Festival Night Market: 29th September

• Wine and Cheese, Yes Please!: 12th and 26th October

• Yoga in the Vines: 15th October

For information and tickets, visit orange360.com.au/Events/Orange-Wine-Festival

Pillowcase Workshops Helping Aussie Kids Learn About Disaster Preparedness

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes Shires have been listed as at high risk in NSW.

Australia Post will lend a helping hand to high-risk communities across Australia by supporting Australian Red Cross deliver Pillowcase workshops, an initiative aiming to help kids in schools across the nation understand the importance of being prepared for a disaster. Since 2019, Australia Post has raised more than $1.8 million for Australian Red Cross and contributed towards supporting 470,000 people across 133 emergency events.

Over the next three years, Australia Post is expanding on its support to include the Pillowcase workshops, a disaster preparedness education program for 8 to 10 year-old students living in areas at high risk of disaster, like bushfires and flooding. The workshops teach kids practical skills like what to pack for an emergency and how to prepare their minds for the thoughts and feelings that may arise before, during and after an emergency.

Australia Post will support Australian Red Cross to provide Pillowcase workshops and resources – including supplying the emergency kit pillowcases.

Australia Post Executive General Manager of Community, Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement, Tanny Mangos, said that Australia Post’s unique presence in regional and remote Australian communities meant it was important to contribute to, and support, disaster resilience.

“Working in every community across Australia, our team members are often at the frontline of disaster. We see firsthand how a disaster can affect a community.

“Ahead of what is already being predicted as a hot, dry summer, our work with Australian Red Cross on Pillowcase is especially critical. The workshops and resources will arm children in high-risk areas with practical skills in the event of extreme weather like bushfires.

“As disasters increase across Australia so does the impact on our communities and wellbeing. Evidence and research continue to show that preparing both psychologically and practically for an emergency improves people’s ability to cope with their impacts.”

Can We Trust The Food We’re Eating?

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

When you think fake products, you’d be forgiven for not having food items like honey at the top of your list, from meat and seafood to dairy – not even herbs are safe.

There are six types of food fraud practices in the food industry: mislabelling, adulteration, substitution, counterfeiting, dilution and concealment. The goal is to deceive the consumer into paying a higher price for a product that is not what it claims to be.

What can we do about it? Government intervention can protect the industry. Policies around minimum prices for materials. Thankfully, now we have DNA technology which makes it easy to take a quick extract of tissue of meat to determine if it’s really what it’s labelled as. In some cases, we have low-tech options. For example, the freezing point is a very old test that industry can use. For example, the freezing point of milk can indicate if water has been added.

Recognising The Resilience Of Our Communities

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) has identified and responded to needs in central western NSW flood affected communities with the Wellbeing and Resilience grants.

In the recent Spring of 2022, communities in central western NSW were devastated with record breaking floods which resulted in destructive and damaging ongoing impacts to people, property, harvests, and the general mental health and wellbeing of communities.

Residents of these communities have shown incredible and inspiring resilience as they continuously work to rebuild and manage the lasting affects of such an event. WNSW PHN has worked with these communities to undertake a needs assessment post the flooding event and determine where the greatest areas of need lie.

WNSW PHN is pleased to offer Wellbeing and Resilience grants to flood affected

communities in central western NSW. The grants will facilitate the delivery of community led and focused wellbeing initiatives. Funding of up to $20,000 is available per application.

WNSW PHN welcomes initiatives that will help improve mental health and support community resilience and encourage local businesses and community groups to apply. Community initiatives should address the immediate needs of affected communities and focus on community health and wellbeing, resilience and/or build the capacity of volunteer and paid workforce.

Our focus is patients who are at risk of poor health outcomes and working to improve the coordination of their care, so they receive the right care in the right place at the right time.

We acknowledge that we work on the traditional lands of many Aboriginal clans, tribes, and nations. We are committed to working in collaboration with our region’s Aboriginal communities and peoples to improve their health, emotional and social well-being in the spirit of partnership.

For further information, eligibility and the application pack, please visit https://wnswphn.org.au/tenders

Clean Out The Fridge Pie

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 cups left over lamb, cut into small pieces

• 1 packet of thawed pastry, filo or puff

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 cup cooked or tinned chickpeas, this could also be left over rice or barley or lentils

• 400g can tomato, or this could be a cup of stock or wine

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 garlic, minced

• 1 tbs ginger, grated

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line pie dish with pastry (reserve enough for the top) and pre bake for 15 min.

Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then sauté onion until soft and sweet. Add garlic cloves, ginger, ground cumin and paprika. Sauté for another minute or so, then add leftover lamb and 1 cup chickpeas or lentils or grain if you are using. Add tomatoes and lots of salt and pepper (or other liquid) and cook this down until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the flavours come together. Allow to cool before filling the pie.

Add pastry to make the pie top and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Put One Foot Forward For The Black Dog Institute This October

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Walk in solidarity with the 1 in 5 Australians experiencing mental illness each year.

The Black Dog Institute is calling on Australians to take a stand in solidarity for the 1 in 5 Australians experiencing symptoms of mental illness each year by participating in One Foot Forward – a national virtual challenge taking place in October – Mental Health Month.

The challenge is to walk, run, or roll 40km, 60km, 100km, 150km, or a distance that suits them throughout October, to show people experiencing symptoms of mental illness that they are not alone and to raise funds for Black Dog Institute’s crucial mental health research and support services in Australia. One in five Australians experience a mental illness each year which means around 5 million people are personally affected.

One Foot Forward can be a great way to take a positive step forward for your own mental health and show Australians impacted by mental illness that they’re not alone. You can take part solo, with a team or with your colleagues.

With mental illness costing Australian businesses $39 billion in lost revenue each year, Black Dog Institute is calling on corporate groups and businesses to join in.

This national virtual event is a great team building exercise for colleagues, can increase staff morale and help promote mental wellbeing in the workplace.

In 2022, over 28,000 participants walked, ran and rolled over 2,286,105km during Mental Health Month and joined in on the fun, got active, and raised funds to help Black Dog Institute.

Funds raised by One Foot Forward participants this year can assist in the research and development of digital mental health tools and apps for adults and children, support novel and innovative suicide prevention programs, and help community presenters reach school students to talk about mental health in schools and how to get support.

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