Maggi Barnard

Maggi Barnard has been with the Parkes Phoenix since it was established in March 2016 and loves writing about her community.

Through The Looking Glassplace…

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

For windows you won’t want to stop gazing out of, Glassplace have a custom made range of aluminium and timber windows in sliding, double hung, awning and casement configurations. Doors are available in sliding, French, stacker or corner entry designs to suit all home styles. The professional team have installed 3 door units to demonstrate the expanse of product for entrance doors, alfresco access doors and commercial doors which can be viewed instore.

Their new shower screen display is also on show and comes complete with 5 new products which include framed, semi-frameless and frameless showers in attractive designs. Glassplace mirrors are made to order, ensuring you get the perfect one for you and can be framed, square or bevelled edged. Glassplace also build and supply insect screen doors with standard fibreglass or paw proof gauze along with decorative, security and privacy screen doors. If you need to spruce up your shop the team offer complete shopfront supply and maintenance service for the business community and are the only local member of the Australian Window Association (AWA) which guarantees that they meet quality requirements and provides assurance for all customers through their compliance to an annual audit on products Glassplace make and sell. For more information pop into the shop at 4 Clarke Street.

SURPRISE WINNERS AT MARBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Two new teams took first and second place at Australia’s one and only indoor marbles championships held in Parkes last Friday. Balls Deep surprised everyone by taking the honours in the 32nd year of the competition, with the Gootons coming second.

Eight teams entered for the Australian Indoor Marbles Championships at the Parkes Golf Club and competed in round matches and final eliminations. The aim of the night is to not only carry on a tradition that started with the celebration of the Parkes centenary, but for the team members and spectators to have fun too. In addition, Can Assist benefits from this quirky tradition, with almost $1000 raised from team entries and raffle ticket sales. Organiser
of the event Paul Thomas said the idea of playing indoor marbles was first tried out with the centenary celebrations. “It has now become a time honoured event and a fixed item on the Parkes yearly calendar, and forms part of the NSW Government tourism attractions.”

Teams have travelled from as far as Sydney to compete in previous competitions. Paul explained that the game
had to be altered slightly from the oncepopular childhood game when the aim was to knock marbles into a hole. “Playing it indoors meant we changed it to knocking the marbles out of a ring.” Each player uses a ‘Tom’ and the idea is to knock the smaller marbles out of the centre of the ring. The four players in each team take a turn and they keep on playing until all the marbles are knocked out of the middle. The one with the most marbles at the end is the winner.

Peter Magill of Griffins Leading Edge, the major sponsor, said it was a good night with a new team winning the title.

Have Fun, Join The Run!

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Entries are open for the third Northparkes Rotary Fun Run on 22nd May! The event, which will begin and end at Harrison Park, caters for runners and walkers over distances of 5km and 10km, as well as a 2km race for the kids. “The course is a great combination of flat and undulating terrain down Nash Street and back along Back Yamma Road for the 10km competitors,” said event organizer, Scott Westcott of RunNSW.

Scott, who grew up in Parkes, is an Olympic marathon hopeful and will be competing on the day in preparation for the Rio Games if he is selected for the Olympic team. The course record of 36.25 for women in the 10km event was set by Jane Fardell from Dubbo, while Dubbo’s Len Darlington holds the men’s 10km record of 35.58 but with over 300 competitors expected to enter records could be broken! At the launch of the fun run last week, Mayor Ken Keith
said the event was another example of the great works of Parkes Rotary Club, one of the busiest Rotary Clubs in the
state. Stacey Kelly of Northparkes Mine, the major sponsor, said the event would also be raising funds for Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), a charity assisting over 14,000 people affected by autism each year.

Early bird entries are $10 for kids, $20 for the 5km and $30 for the 10km, plus a t-shirt for 10km runners. More information is available at www.parkesrotaryfunrun.com.au.

Great Staff, Great Style

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Decor Shoppe has been a cornerstone of design in Parkes that has spanned four decades after it was established at the southern end of Clarinda Street in 1975. Nowadays, window furnishings consist of a major part of the shops operations. Parkes Décor Shoppe is the brainchild of Barry and Margaret Robinson and although Barry sadly passed away ten years ago the business is still going strong with Margaret at the helm of an excellent team of staff. Ever aware of opportunities to improve, Marg joined the Lighting Network, a buying group with 50 stores down the east coast of Australia.

“This has enabled us to offer our customers a bigger range of home lighting at very competitive prices” says Margaret. Even after four decades of retail, Margaret is still enthusiastic when it comes to her shop. “We pride ourselves on our solid customer service and attention to detail,” says Margaret.’

Guidance From a ‘Fluffing’ Guru

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Welcome to my new column…
I am so excited to have a regular feature each month in this amazing publication! I hope to show you just how easy it can be to turn your decorating dreams into reality. Trust me, it is never as hard as you think it is just simply knowing the tips and tricks to make the process easier. Every single person deserves a home that they love to want
to return to each night. And when you have this sanctuary from the outside world it can have such a positive flow on effect in every other area of your life as well.

My very first pearl of wisdom to share with you through this column is very simple and to the point. Getting help can be very liberating and make your journey on the decorating path a breeze because someone is there to hold your hand each and every step along the way. And that is my absolute privilege to hopefully be the one to help and guide you through that process.

I look forward to sharing tips and advice with you in these columns.

By Karen Creith

Karen is the owner of Parkes Furniture One and the author of the book ‘The Art of Fluffing’. Karen began her decorating journey a few years ago and quickly became an impressive voice in the journalistic world of decorating, attaining the role of interior stylist for National Magazine before becoming editor in chief of her very own magazine,
Style Your Home with Karen Creith.

Stork News!

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Kelly and Dane Hendry of Parkes are thrilled to announce the birth of their third child, a daughter, Gloria Lucy
Hendry. Gloria was born at Parkes Hospital on Thursday, 25th February 2016, weighing 3900g (8lb 9oz) and measuring 56cm. She is a little sister for Oscar (4) and George (2). Gloria is the sixth grandchild for Tony and Wendy Atkinson of Smithfield, the third grandchild for Tony and Wendy Hendry of Parkes, and the twelfth great grandchild for Lloyd and Noelene Hendry of Parkes.

Proud of Local, Independent Plumbing

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Col and Rosie Lucas pride themselves on running the local, independent store, Parkes Plumbing and Hardware at 18-22 Forbes Road. The shop can cater to all your sanitation, pipes and fixture needs and is set to be fully stocked as Col and Rosie have just had a brand new order of cisterns arrive which are suitable for suites and generalised bathrooms. On the hardware side of things products on offer include Australian made vanities, garden hoses, drip irrigation fittings, Puretec water filters and a huge range of brass and gal fittings. Showers on offer have modern round or square heads with high rise and low rise gooseneck arms that are all the rage at the moment on popular DIY shows and are a must if you’re aiming for an elegant, stylish bathroom. Best of all, the team offer free delivery in and around town, taking the stress out of shopping!

For all your everyday needs, plumbing jobs large or small, Parkes Plumbing and Hardware have it all. Pop in and see the friendly duo at the store on Forbes Road from 7.30am -5pm Monday to Friday, 8am until 12pm on Saturday or give them a call on 6862 3045.

A Family Affair

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Bricks & Pavers and Potts Removalists have a massive range of stock available to view at 94-98 Forbes Road. Parkes Bricks & Paver have a huge range of garden and landscaping supplies, shipping containers and wine barrel features. Different types of brick in Austral, Boral, CSR PGH and Namoi Valley while their concrete block stock include Austral Masonry, Adbri Masonry, Boral Concrete and Masonry and Cowra Concrete Products and their variety of pavers comprise of Austral Paving, CSR PGH Paving, Adbri Masonry, Paveloc Industries, Cowra Concrete Products, Boral Concrete and Landscaping and Rocksolid Sandstone Products.

Next door at Potts they specialise in home furniture removals, transportation services, office relocations, container storage, interstate removals, furniture dismantling and reassembly, container packing services and container sales and rentals. Since the early 1950’s the name Potts has been associated with furniture transport, removals and
storage. The company was established in Parkes in the late 1950’s by Keith and Nola Potts and has always been a family business maintained through successive generations of the Potts family to its present day owners, Gary and David Potts, sons of Keith and Nola. Like their father, Gary and David are dedicated to the business of moving people and their possessions, new furniture transportation and the storage of all items either commercial or private. Today they offer services in residential, commercial, office relocation as well as interstate removals.

Celebrate Seniors Week

March 23, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

The annual celebration of NSW Seniors Week is the perfect time for the seniors in the Parkes Shire to shine! To acknowledge and celebrate seniors, Parkes Library is hosting an exhibition of artworks created by residents of Southern Cross from 18th March to 8th April. The art works were created during regular workshops held by Parkes Quota Club at Southern Cross where the residents get to explore their creative side. The art works they create
are displayed at the Village, brightening the rooms.

The workshops were made possible in part thanks to the Northparkes Community Investment Program. “Parkes Library is proud to host community art exhibitions and Seniors Week is the appropriate time of the year to show the wonderful talents of some of our seniors and highlight the amazing work Quota does in our community”, said Shellie Buckle, Manager Cultural Education & Library Services. This week also sees new librarian, Gillian Hunt beginning her career in Parkes after a move from Sydney. Gillian is being shown the ropes by Library Officer Maureen, who is retiring after almost 30 years of service. A morning tea is being held at the Parkes Library on 7th April for the community to raise a cuppa in recognition of the important role seniors play in the community. If you would like to attend, please contact the library on 6861 2309 or email library@parkes.nsw.gov.au

Snippets…

March 17, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

A Happy Group Of Cyclists: It was smiles all round at PAC Park as Parkes first ‘bikes out of sheds’ bike ride took place. Enthusiastic riders rode around the park before the heat of the day arrived, going around a safe, circular route with experienced riders helping when needed. Congratulations to all those who rode for the first time and those game enough to hop back on the saddle after years of absence. The next ‘bikes out of the sheds’ day will be on Saturday 10th April and will once again start at the East Street end of PAC Park at 8am. For more information ring Peter on 0448166016 or visit www.bicyclenetwork.com.au

Congratulations Holy Family Primary! Holy Family School has recently been named on a national list for schools who have been identified with a substantially above-average gain in last year’s NAPLAN results for numeracy. The list, which was put together by ACARA (the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) represents a major achievement for the school and is a result of the commitment of staff to professional development, catering for individual learning styles and a focus on problem solving and mental computation in the classrooms. The school’s Catholic Education Office has also provided much professional development in the area of numeracy. Last week the school also celebrated Catholic School’s Week
with a whole school Mass, open class-rooms and a family movie night. Well done Holy Family Primary School!

Motor Meets Air: On Sunday the Parkes Antique Motor Club assembled at the Parkes Air Museum hangar for a guided tour for one of their regular outings. The collection the club viewed is only part of what the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society intends to bring to Parkes over the coming years.

Mock Crash Actors Chosen: The cast for this years mock crash demonstration has been announced. Jack McGrath, Samantha Mudiman, Krystle-Lee McMurray and the returning Ashleigh Cottam are the youth actors chosen to perform in the NOT A STATISTIC! Youth Driver Education Programme, which has been running since 2009. “I’m really excited about this year’s mock crash demonstration” Melanie Suitor, Parkes Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, said; “The project aims to show young drivers what can and does happen far too often on the roads. It challenges them to think about their attitude and behaviour as not only the driver but also as passengers.” The demonstration will be held on 18th August in front of over 500 year 10 students.

Maggi Barnard

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