Maggi Barnard

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

Three Sisters Walk For Water

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Walking from Parkes to The Dish is definitely not a Sunday morning stroll, but three young sisters are doing it every year to help those less fortunate. The 20 km walk Molly (11), Ruby (9) and Nell (8) Smith will do on Sunday is a mere drop in a bucket of the long distances girls and women living in poverty walk every year just to get to water,
food and firewood. Many people in developing countries cannot just turn a tap, they have to walk an average of 6km every day to get to water.

Molly was only 8 years old when she was inspired to help kids less fortunate, after she read about the annual ‘Walk in her Shoes’ campaign. “My dad runs the Dish Café and we always thought it would be fun to walk there one day” she said. The next year sister Ruby joined in and last year Nell was up for the challenge. “I like doing it because it
makes me feel happy for the girls who will benefit from the money raised” Ruby said.

The $3,000 they raised last year was used to provide necessities such as water closer to home to give girls more time for school and to enable women to earn an income to help their communities step out of poverty. The inspiring walk of the three sisters has had a ripple effect in the community, with many of their classmates at Middleton

Public School and friends wanting to join in. More than 50 people are expected to walk on Sunday.

Best of the Best For Parkes Hockey

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Hockey fans in Parkes are enjoying their grounds’ new status of being in the ‘Global Elite’ this week thanks to the hard work of local organisations. The two pitches (Polytan and TigerTurf) have both been listed in a group of just seven providers worldwide that have been certified as being the ultimate in hockey terrain by the International
Hockey Federation (FIH). Dusty Powter, member of Parkes Hockey Incorporated (PHI), says; “If you haven’t been over to have a look at our new field do it soon, it’s going up fast! It’s exciting and gratifying to see it coming together after so many years of hard work by so many people who have partnered with us. 2016 will be a great year for Parkes Hockey!” Organisations that have been powering this new development include the PHI and the Turf Committee, which was established around 11 years ago.

For over a decade the Turf Committee’s vision has been to only have world class facilities and this latest analysis
by the FIH is sure to be a wonderful endorsement and testament to the work the PHI and the Turf Committee have undertaken together with Parkes Shire Council. Parkes will now lay claim to two of the best pitches in the world (the same pitches that are used in the World Cup and the Olympics) and can host elite matches and tournaments.
Not bad for a rural community!

Question of the Week?

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

What are you planning for Easter?

Jodi McIntyre, Parkes Shire Council, “I will spend time with the family here in Parkes and eat lots of chocolate!”

Cassandra Horwood, Bellas, “My boyfriend and my family plan to go and see the Iandra Castle in Cowra as my boyfriend is into medieval stuff. We thought it would be something nice to do as a family.”

Peter Magill, Griffins Leading Edge, “ We’re planning on going camping and water-skiing at Wyangala Dam.”

Health Smart

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Regional Services To Expand

It’s an exciting time for the region with health services expanding and Parkes Diagnostic Imaging (PDI) continues to
lead the way in industry development, announcing they have plans to expand this year. Offering quality service and fast reporting times, PDI is on par, if not well ahead of their city based counterparts. PDI hope to soon announce some exciting news on expanding their services, further showing their commitment to providing the Parkes and surrounding communities with all their imaging needs. “We are very excited to be adding to our state of the art equipment and are proud to be able to offer one day turn around service,” Ms Hill explains. “That means that if a general practitioner orders X-Rays, CT or an ultrasound scan, we can organise an appointment with their patient that day, complete the scan and deliver a report back to the doctor- all within 24 hours. Regional patients are getting the same, if not speedier treatment than those in the city.”

PDI’s dedicated team of experienced professionals live locally and care deeply for the welfare of the regional community, offering a fast and thorough examination using state of the art equipment, and a boutique service respected by the medical community in regional NSW. If you’d like to meet the team give come and say hello at 1/344 Clarinda Street.

Treat Your Feet…

Patrick Raftery, a podiatrist based in Orange, visits Parkes regularly and his next visit is scheduled for the 14th April. By phoning his Orange office on 63621453 you can make an appointment to see him for a large number of troublesome foot complaints such as ingrown toe nails, painful corns, callouses, thick nails and diabetic advice and
treatment.

He also offers a biomechanical assessment of your gait (walking pattern) to help reduce the symptoms of heel pain, sore ankles, walking pain or foot pain in general. Patrick also assesses children and sports people with various complaints and makes orthotics to resolve a variety of problems. By phoning the Orange office on 63621453
he’ll be happy to answer your enquiries and questions or make an appointment.

Dental Delights

If you are experiencing sudden pain with a tooth and want the best advice on offer, give Dr. Khazima Riaz a call at Richardson’s Dental Surgery in Church Street, Parkes. Dr Riaz took over the practice in February 2016, after working with the previous owner for 2 years.

She is excited to be taking on this new challenge and offers emergency care on the same day to save you the pain of having to wait, tooth whitening and cosmetic surgery amongst other services, as well as bulk billing for child patients under the Dental Benefit Scheme.

Simply The Breast

They go by many names; boobs, bust, orbs of greatness, pillows and mammary glands if you want to get technical but when it comes to breasts it’s best to keep it simple and be as familiar with your own as you can be. On average 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives and 9 out of 10 women who develop the disease have no family history. As the majority of breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history and the key risk factors for breast cancer are being female and growing older, it’s absolutely vital that all women aged 50-74 receive their regular two-yearly mammogram which is free.

However, all ladies over 40 are welcome to attend mammograms through BreastScreen NSW. No matter your age,
if you notice anything unusual or different about your breasts, get them checked as soon as possible for your peace of mind if nothing else.

A mammogram takes around twenty minutes, time well spent when it comes to looking after your health. BreastScreen NSW has appointments available every week in Orange and are located at the front of the Orange Health Service on Forest Road. Remember that cancer is mostly a random event that can happen to anyone, reinforcing the importance of screening for ALL women. Screening can find cancers before they are felt or noticed and you have a much better chance of survival when found early.

Please call 13 20 50 today to make an appointment for a FREE screening mammogram, it’s worth it!

Mayoral Notes

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Well done to Cheryl and the Parkes Phoenix team. The first publication was a credit to your hard work and organisation. Parkes Shire Council’s new Waste Collection Service is almost here, enabling residents to waste less and recycle more, the new system will commence from the 4th of April.

The new Water and Sewage Treatment Plants have commenced the first phases of construction with John Holland Pty Ltd setting up site offices at each site. To ensure that local businesses and the local community received the maximum benefit from projects a networking night was held for local businesses to meet the John Holland
team and learn about the packages of work available.

We are very fortunate in our shire to boast an active community and a number of exciting events The Parkes Field Day is being held today I encourage everyone to head to the Racecourse to support our local businesses and industry.

Congratulations to the organisers of the Field Day which again promises to be a great event. There is always a lot to see and do in our Shire and I encourage you to get out and enjoy all it has to offer. Visit Council’s website to keep informed about events and happenings in the Shire.

Yours Faithfully,
Cr Ken Keith OAM
Mayor of Parkes Shire

House of the Week

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

The Perfect Investment!

1-4/7 George Field Drive, Parkes
Price: $620,000 or $320,000 in blocks of 2
4 x 2 bedroom units situated in quiet cul de sac. Open plan living, reverse cycle split system air conditioning, court yards and all units have their own carport. Gross rental return at 100% occupancy is approx. $33,120 P.A. These units are strata ready. Vendor selling all in one or in blocks of two. Call Century 21 Hunter Real Estate Parkes today for an inspection and more information.

International Women’s Day Celebrates Education

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Keeping teenage girls in school in developing countries was one of the big projects highlighted by Quota International of Parkes at its celebration of International Women’s Day on Tuesday. Approximately 150 women from Parkes and district attended a sparkling high tea at the Parkes Golf Club for the annual event which celebrates women’s achievements and highlights Quota’s projects.

Pam Nankivell, Publicity Officer of Quota International of Parkes, said Tuesday’s focus was on the Days for Girls project. “The aim is to help girls gain access to quality sustainable feminine hygiene by providing them with re-usable sanitary kits. The kits are made by people all over the world and according to the Days for Girls website,
more than 200,000 girls in 100 nations have been reached so far” she said; “This means girls can stay in school instead of missing up to two months of education and opportunity every year.”

In Uganda and Kenya absence rates have dropped from 36% to 8% and 25% to 3% respectively after the distribution of Days for Girls kits. Pam said the Parkes chapter had been involved with the project for the past year by raising funds, as well as making some of the kits.

The other focus area of Quota International is the ongoing project of providing sound field systems to classrooms. The Parkes Public School already has three classrooms equipped with a system. “This means everyone can hear the teacher and the classroom is quieter,” said Pam; “Our endeavour is to put a system in all classrooms.” Cheques were also presented to the Domestic Violence Committee and Palliative Care at Tuesday’s event via the Parkes Quota Club, which has been in existence since 1957.

Snippets…

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Networking Evening Sees Good Turnout:
Over 70 local business people attended a networking and information evening last Monday. The event, hosted by Parkes Shire, provided information and opportunities for businesses to be involved in the development of the new Water and Sewage Treatment plants to be built in Parkes by John Holland Group Pty Ltd. Parkes Council
organised the night to ensure that local suppliers will be able to supply materials, labour and support services to this major project. Mayor Ken Keith was pleased with the attendance on the night; “It is fabulous to see such a strong turnout of businesses. Parkes Shire Council is a member of the Small Business Friendly Council program,
Council is very committed to this program and hosting nights like tonight ensure that Council is working proactively to utilise the skills and knowledge of local businesses and ensure that money stays local.”

Parkes Public Pave The Way For Rugby:
A big congratulations to the Parkes Public School 10s and 12s rugby sides who played in the NSW Waratahs Primary
7’s last Thursday. Both teams are now progressing to the Western Region finals to be held in Orange in May. Well done to all the boys involved!

Save The Date! For this year’s Cabonne Country Balloon Glow on Saturday, 9th April. Get ready for a day of flames and fun as gates open at 3.30pm at the Canowindra Sports Oval. One of the highlights of the night, the rugby union game, will kick off at 4pm in what’s sure to be a blazing battle between Canowindra and Yeoval. New entertainment for this year includes a wine, food and craft market and fire dancers, so things might get heated! If you’d like
a stall please email lisa@canowindrachallenge.org.au for an application form.

Say Hello To Our New Reporter! Meet Maggi Barnard who will be our reporter on the ground in Parkes. Maggi lives in Parkes with her husband and 8-year-old son. They moved here from Darwin and have enjoyed the tranquillity, community spirit and the change of seasons of the rural lifestyle for the past 5 and a half years. Maggi will be the go-to person to speak to if you have a great story or event you’d like us to cover, you can contact her by emailing reporter@parkesphoenix.com.au

Swimming Carnival Fun

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

This Wednesday more than 100 people took part in the annual combined swimming carnival for disability services in the Western region. “It is just a fun day for everyone,” said David Parker of Currajong Disability Services. Looking around at the smiling faces soaking up the atmosphere of the Parkes pool with the aroma of a sausage sizzle filling the air, we can see what he means. The 120 swimmers ventured from Forbes, Cowra, Mudgee, Parkes, Condobolin, Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo for the day. “We are so thrilled with the response we’ve had this year! We also have over 50 staff coming from different disability service providers around NSW, which is just fantastic,” Jodie Turner, swimming carnival organiser, wrote on the Currajong Disability Services website.

Participants took part in a variety of events, such as assisted and unassisted freestyle, relays and novelty events, over
the whole length of the pool or just half a length. Every participant received a medal for their effort with a trophy awarded to the winning team. The Currajong team from Parkes was defending its title, but had to share the trophy with Cowra as both teams finished joint first.

It was the fourth year in a row the event was held in Parkes, “people like travelling here and enjoy our pool,” said David. He said it used to take place in Cowra, until Parkes offered to host it. Swimming is one of the many activities
offered to people making use of disability services. Other activities offered to the 51 local clients of Currajong Disability Services are sewing, cooking, lawn bowls, tennis, dancing, drama, karaoke, mosaics and ten pin bowling.

They also have a secure paper-shredding business. The day finished on a high, with free swimming for everyone.

Our Gal – Anna Wyllie

March 10, 2016 By Maggi Barnard

Anna Wyllie

How long have you lived in Parkes? I’ve lived here for ten years. My husband is in the mining industry so we decided to move here from Ontario, Canada.

Where do you work? I’ve worked at Parkes Shire Council for 5 years, with two and half years in my current role as Economic and Business Development Manager.

What do you enjoy about working for the Council? I love the diversity of the role and that I get the opportunity to work with the community and of course my team who are fabulous.

How do you start your day? With a beautiful small person (one of 3) giving me a cuddle then a strong black coffee.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I read children’s book and play lego with my kids and in my own time I love to read a good book and take my dog for a nice, quiet walk.

What makes your day? Working closely with the community is a job I’m passionate about and getting to visit my children at school when the occasion arises.

Maggi Barnard

Subscribe