Roxane Manley

Country Hope Camp is back this Septem­ber school holidays, and preparations are well underway. Country Hope is looking for enthusiastic volunteers ready to bring fun, friendship, and unforgettable memories to some truly amazing kids.

The annual Camp supports local children diagnosed with cancer and other life-threat­ening illnesses, along with their siblings. For many, Camp offers them something won­derfully simple, time to have fun and just be a kid.

Country Hope is calling for more Camp Buddies and would especially love to see more men step up. Buddies have a special role, as they’re paired one-on-one with a child for the week, providing friendship, sup­port and encouragement every step of the way. This relationship is at the heart of what makes Camp so special.

Country Hope is currently supporting 28 children battling childhood cancer or a lifethreatening illness in our region, including kids in Dubbo, Forbes, Parkes, Mudgee, Yeoval, Wellington, Guerie, Gulgong, Coon­amble and Gulargambone.

Country Hope Chief Executive Officer Jo Esler said the ongoing need for volunteers highlights the important role a Camp Buddy plays in helping children feel supported, un­derstood and included throughout the Camp experience.”

Prospective volunteers will need to attend a training weekend in Wagga on 25–26 July, where they will learn more about the role and receive the support needed to become a Camp Buddy. Volunteers must be aged 18 years or older.

Country Hope Camp is being held Sunday 27 September to Friday 2 October at Bo­rambola Sport and Recreation Centre near Wagga. Apply to be a Camp Buddy at www.countryhope.com.au/country-hope-camp

Central West Childcare Services (CWCS), a business of Parkes Shire Council, is in­viting families, carers, staff and the broader community to take part in a survey to help guide the development of a new dedicated website.

Manager of Central West Childcare Ser­vices, Ann-Marie Winter, said the new website presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen connections with families and showcase the important work being under­taken across the service.

“We want to create a website that is wel­coming, accessible and genuinely useful for the people who rely on our services,” she said.

Parkes Shire Council proudly delivers quality, inclusive children’s services through Central West Childcare Services, which en­compasses Central West Family Day Care and Bangala-la Preschool.

Together, these services support children from birth to 12 years of age, offering early learning, family day care and out-of-schoolhours care, while helping young children build confidence, develop essential skills and prepare for school.

Community feedback will help shape a range of website content, including:

• information about staff and the role of Central West Childcare Services;

• the service’s commitment to child safety and wellbeing;

• programs and services available to fami­lies and children;

• key goals and priorities for the community;

• easier access to forms and important in­formation;

• updates and news from across the ser­vices;

• information about learning environments, including outdoor spaces; and

• affordability and accessibility of services.

Parkes Shire Council encourages all service users and interested community members to complete the survey before 30 June at: https://au.openforms.com/Form/8e7d9325-eed5-4a6f-b3f4-733aefe5a606

An exciting, interactive event is coming to Inkwood and Ivy Bookstore in Parkes on Friday, 19 July from 4 to 5pm. Katrina Nan­nestad, a multi award-winning author is hav­ing a live video chat and all interested young people are encouraged to attend. It is most suitable, (but not exclusive), for students from Yr 4 to Yr 12.

Well Known Parkes resident Rhonda Brain (Katrina’s Aunty) said “I’m 81 and I really enjoy Katrina’s books, especially her well-researched historical novels and the hysterical Red Dirt Diaries series.”

Katrina was born in Coonabarabran, NSW. At age thirteen, her family moved to Peak Hill where Katrina and brother, Neale, completed their secondary years at Peak Hill Central School. Both siblings followed their passion with Neale becoming an F/A

18 pilot with RAAF, and Katrina, becoming a successful author of young people’s novels of various genres.

In the early days of the PAINT THE TOWN REaD (formerly Birth to Kindergarten) cam­paign, Katrina produced a lot of the promo­tional resources and more recently has coproduced an updated version of the Nursery Rhymes book.

Aunty Rhonda said, “I taught Katrina in Year 6 in Coonabarabran. I tell her that all her success comes from the brilliant teach­ing she had at that time.”

Katrina Nannestad will be doing a live video call on Friday 19 June at 4pm. This is an all ages, free event. While the man­ager is organising as much room as possi­ble, you could miss out if you’re late. Also if your want to pre-order some of Katrina’s books to collect on the day, you can order through the Inkwood & Ivy website: www.inkwoodandivy.com.au/collections/katrinanannestad-australian-childrens-writer

In a new episode of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) What’s Your 20? podcast, veteran truck driver Damien Black talks candidly about his struggles with physical and mental health and how the long-haul lifestyle made it difficult to change his habits.  

Airing ahead of Men’s Health Week, the episode explores the many challenges heavy vehicle drivers face when trying to maintain good mental health and how positive physical health habits can help.  

NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Sal­vati said the timing of the episode in the lead up to Men’s Health Week was perfect given the predominantly male workforce in the heavy vehicle industry. 

“We know that 98% of truck drivers are male and data shows men have a shorter life expectancy than women and die more often from preventable causes,” Mr Salvati said. 

“Working as a truck driver presents unique challenges to physical and mental health – factors like disrupted sleep schedules, isolation from family and friends, limited ac­cess to health food choices all take a toll. 

“We hope all men working in the heavy vehicle industry get something out of listen­ing to Damien’s first-hand account of how he hit rock bottom with his health and man­aged to turn things around so inspiringly.”  

Damien shares that at his lowest point  he weighed in at 116 kilograms, was strug­gling with his mental health, and not able to see a way forward in his life. 

Fast forward and Damien is running Iron­man races and sharing health and cook­ing tips on his social media channels to show truckies everywhere that the journey to change your life starts with a first step. 

And while Damien now stands as an in­spiration for anyone wanting to improve their mental and physical health, he admits it was not an easy, or fast, journey.  

The NHVR has resources to help organi­sations ensure they are taking the neces­sary steps to manage the physical and mental health of their teams at: www.nhvr.gov.au/safety-accreditation-compliance/chain-of-responsibility/regulatory-advice.

Forbes Shire Council has cooked up a plan to give the old barbecues at Apex Park a second life, following their decommission­ing as part of the Park’s redevelopment.

The former BBQ shelter has come down to make way for a new, accessible shelter and modern cooking facilities. In a win for sustainability, the still-functional barbecues have been relocated to Forbes Pool, where they can continue to be enjoyed by the community and visitors.

Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM said “It’s all part of Council’s ongoing efforts to be more sustainable and reduce waste across its projects.”

Council has also donated the decommis­sioned play equipment to the Rotary Over­seas Relocated Playgrounds Program, helping give structurally sound equipment a second life in communities across Sri Lan­ka, Nepal and Papua New Guinea.

The much-loved flying fox, accessible roundabout and nest swing has been re­tained as part of the upgrade. The existing shade sails will also remain, ensuring the park continues to provide comfort and func­tionality for families and visitors.

“We’re always looking for smarter, more sustainable ways to deliver projects, and this is a fantastic outcome,” the Mayor said.

The Apex Park redevelopment will deliver a range of new features, including:

• New play equipment featuring an impres­sive 8.7-metre tower with three slides

• Rubber soft fall surface for improved safety

• Accessible and inclusive play options, including an All-Abilities Harness Swing and a Skippy Swing

• New pathways, seating and landscaping

• New amenities block to enhance con­venience for visitors

• Improved drainage and car park facili­ties.

The project aims to enhance accessibility, improve amenities and ensure the play­ground is designed to withstand major flood events.

The redevelopment is expected to be fin­ished in time for summer. For more informa­tion about the project, visit www.forbes.nsw.gov.au