The Parkes Chapter of The Compassionate Friends (TCF) invites any parent, grandparent, brother or sister to share the memories of a deceased child with others who really know how they will be feeling at its annual candle lighting at 5.30pm on Sunday at Lions Park.

The event is held worldwide every year on the second Sunday of December in every time zone to remember the children, grandchildren, brother or sister or friend who have died and will be missing from the family Christmas celebrations. As candles burn down in one time zone they are lit in another, creating a 24 hour wave of remembering light that encircles the globe.

The candles will be supplied or bring your own. There will also be room for a photo of your deceased loved one on the wooden Christmas tree. Mary McPhee started the Parkes chapter of TCF just over 15 years ago and is remembered as the founder with a plaque at Lions Park.

The Australian Compassionate Friends was started 10 years after the establishment of TCF in the United Kingdom by five parents of children who had died. They were brought into contact with each other to share their grief by a young cleric Rev Simon Stephens. One of the founding parents, Joe Lawley wrote “The Gift” to tell the story of The Compassionate Friends.

The evening will begin with the reading of special poems and then everyone is invited to light a candle. Bring a rug or chairs, drinks and nibbles and stay on following the candle lighting. In case of inclement weather, the venue will be the Middleton School Hall.

Staff and clients of Currajong Disability Services (CDS) recently participated in International Day for People with Disability (IDPwD) at the Forbes Olympic pool with a who’s who of disability service providers from around the district, their staff, clients and families.

The event, run by Forbes Shire Council, included a barbeque, games and a variety of other fun activities that kept everyone entertained. “It is important we recognise people with disabilities not just on days like today but that we support, encourage and celebrate them every day,” said CDS Marketing and Communications rep Dane Millerd.

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 the achievements and contributions of people with disability.

The Australian Government has been supporting IDPwD since 1996 and provides funds to promote and raise awareness of the day around Australia.

GAME ON SUMMER READING CLUB
Super charge your summer and register today at any Parkes Shire Library for the Game On Summer Reading Club. It is open to all from birth to 17 years and is free to join. The GOAL is to read over 974 books from 1st December until 31st January 2018. Why 974? It is the most runs scored in a cricket test series achieved by Don Bradman in 1930. If the reading goal is reached it will trigger a Game On award ceremony where members for each completed reading record (10 books) will get to throw a wet sponge at a library staff member. Yes – a wet sponge! Read 30 books and you will get three sponges to throw!

GIFT A BOOK
The community is invited to gift a book under the Libraries Christmas Trees until Friday, 22nd December. The books will go to 200 schools in remote areas of northern Australia as part of the Aboriginal Literacy Foundation “Books and Library Project”.
1. Purchase a book for a child between birth and 12 years.
2. Wrap the book in Christmas paper.
3. Put a tag on with the child’s age the book is suitable for.
4. Bring it into your library and put it under the Christmas tree.

ART OF AGEING EXHIBITION
Parkes Library, 5 to 21 December Our community is changing. We are getting older. We are living longer. By 2031, one in three people in NSW will be 50 or older. But older people aren’t all the same, they live diverse lives. How they experience ageing,  and how they want to age is unique. The NSW Department of Family and Community Services have been documenting the lives of older people. The photos and stories captured make up the Art of Ageing exhibition on at Parkes Library from 5 to 21 December. Join the Library team for morning tea to celebrate our older people community on Tuesday, 12th December at 10am.

While other events were being cancelled, the Peak Hillians, in typical fashion, braved the weather forecast and pushed on with Plan B to get everyone under cover to ensure the annual Meet you up the Street went ahead last Friday.

“Although numbers were down due to the forecast of severe weather, we still had loads of fun, and the biggest amount ever raised with the chocolate wheel,” said a very happy Betty Zdan, one of the organisers. “More than $2,000 was raised!”

Mr and Mrs Santa Clause did not disappoint and arrived for the children’s photo, and the Nativity scene proved to be as popular as always. The children’s entertainment was moved to the Southern Cross Hall where there were Sumo wrestler suits, a jumping castle and mechanical bull among other things.

Shops decorated their windows and vending spilled onto the street to provide a festive atmosphere. At 6pm just as Twilight Busking commenced the heavens opened. It went ahead regardless, and the winners were the Tid & Pauleen Duo and the McFayden Musicians equal first.

According to Betty the event next year could possibly merge with the Peak Hill National Busking Event that was staged successfully for the first time this year.

Parkes Shire Council is receiving $1.21 million from the NSW Government for upgrades on The Bogan Way and the completion of sealing works on the Middle Trundle Road. These are two of the 67 projects across regional NSW approved for funding in the third round of the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Roads program. According to
Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Rick Colless, the NSW Government is committing $710,000 to upgrades along The Bogan Way, which include widening along 6.2 kilometres, 2 kilometres of shoulder upgrades and replacing and strengthening drainage structure to allow for roadtrain access.

“This road provides access for heavy vehicles to Narromine, Forbes and Parkes – and will benefit heavy vehicles carrying livestock, grain and other agricultural produce throughout central NSW.” Middle Trundle Road will receive $500,000 for widening and sealing works along the final 6 kilometre section. The completion of these works will benefit livestock movements with more than 32,000 sheep, cattle and pigs being transported along this road per week.

This project is jointly funded with Parkes Shire Council contributing $300,000 and $340,000 to the respective projects. Mayor of Parkes Shire Cr Ken Keith said: “Our roads carry our food, produce and raw materials that power, feed and provide for the community. That is why it is so important to ensure our country roads make it easy for freight vehicles to get to where they need to be.”

The Fixing Country Road program complements the Fixing Country Rail initiative, with both focusing on improving freight infrastructure and efficiency across the state. The NSW Government has set aside more than $1 billion for regional road and rail projects.

A challenge to go plastic free has turned a Mum of two from Forbes from a passionate cling wrap user into a war on waste warrior. “I used to put everything in cling wrap,” said Linda van Coller. When her son Marno’s teacher at Forbes Public School challenged the class to find alternatives for plastic for their school lunches after they had watched the ABC program War on Waste, Linda started searching on Google for ideas.

She discovered beeswax wraps are highly effective in keeping food fresh and safe as the wax is both anti-bacterial and preserves food better than any plastic can do. As a creative person there was nothing stopping her to start making her own wraps. “It did not take long for her wraps to be noticed at school, and she started getting orders.”

That lead to the birth of Earth Child, Linda’s small business she runs from home using 100% organic beeswax sourced locally from the Forbes region and 100% cotton. Linda’s daughter Melandri has become her right hand in the business. “It is so much fun doing it together over weekends,” said Linda.

She went public with her product at the Farmer’s Market in October, and sold out by 11am! “People just love it, because it is eco-friendly, reusable and cuts out the need for cling wrap completely. After about six months, I am happy to rewax the sheets for clients, which means they never have to dispose of them.”

Linda warned it could take a bit getting used to them, but the secret is to simply use the warmth and pressure of your hands to mold your beeswax wrap around a bowl or snack. These wraps make great Christmas presents, contact Linda on 0477 309 807 or find Earth Child on Facebook.

By Maggi Barnard

With the holiday around the corner we are all getting ready for our summer break. Wherever you are heading, you need to ensure your vehicle is safe and ready. You are not only ensuring the safety of your family, but also other travellers on the road.
Here are some safety tips to ensure you arrive safely and on time:
• Service your car: Make sure your car is serviced before setting out on that trip. Better to be safe than sorry.
• Insurance and registration for your car: Double check that your insurance is up to date, and with some people not always receiving their registration notices in the mail and no evidence on your car to remind you, check that your car meets all criteria.
• Chips in your windscreen? Why not get them fixed rather than run the risk of it cracking further when left out in the sun. It doesn’t take long to get it repaired.
• Check all of your tyres, including your spare, and have your wheels aligned. Nothing worse than being stuck in the
middle of nowhere with no spare tyre ready to go.
• Keep your mobile phones charged, a first aid kit in the car and a map handy in case you get lost, either mobile or paper.
• Carry water and oil in your car at all times, you never know when you might need them.
• Ensure you have the correct child restraints in your car, and keep pets restrained as well for everybody’s safety.
• Remember double demerits over the Christmas period, so do not speed, it’s not worth the accident or fine.

NRMA estimates the busiest times to be the last day of school: 15th December; two days before Christmas 23rd December; the day after Boxing Day 27th December and January 4th. Enjoy your holiday!

Massive Sale At Tyreright
Tyreright Forbes is your one-stop shop for all your tyre needs. With everything you need for your ute, 4WD, family car, trucks, farm equipment and more. Look out for the massive Christmas tyre sale catalogue with loads of specials. If you need a service before the Christmas holidays, give the shop a ring and book now!

Reading a trashy magazine while waiting for your hair appointment is something many of us have done, but what about reading to the person cutting your hair? Six salons in Parkes have joined a new and exciting project by the Paint Parkes REad Committee encouraging children under 11 years to read a book while getting a haircut. As a bonus the salon deducts one dollar from the price of the haircut.

Smaller children are encouraged to talk about the pictures in the book during the haircut. According to Rhonda Brain, who initiated the Fringe Benefits Project, after she had read about it being done successfully in Finland. “The reaction from the salon owners has been so positive and supportive as they felt it was a good way of promoting reading.”

Nicole Rosser of Charisma Hair Salon said it was a great idea. “I especially like how it continues to involve the community in spreading Paint The Town REad’s message. Reading is so important and books give kids a break from playing computer games.”

Adele Hawke of Adele’s Salon said it definitely helped kids to sit still too. “It is a good idea and the kids have taken to it.” She has added to the initiative by donating one dollar for every haircut, and collected about $60 in a month’s time for Lilly Wyburn, who recently passed away from leukaemia. Rhonda said the initiative would continue as long as it was supported.

By Maggi Barnard