At the ribbon cutting ceremony of the newly refurbished Cheney Park amenities block were (L-R) Sam Farraway MLC, President of the Parkes Touch Association Dave Cooper, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith OAM.

At the official opening of the newly refurbished Cheney Park amenities block on Wednesday, Parkes received the good news that the community would receive a further $1.6 million in NSW Government funding for other projects in the Shire.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro joined Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM and Sam Farraway MLC at the multi-purpose amenities block at Cheney Oval for a ribbon cutting ceremony when he made the announcement.

“Today I can announce another $1.6 million, through the NSW Government’s Resources for Regions Fund, to build and upgrade many more projects across Parkes.” He said Parkes would not have to compete for the money, and it would be allocated on an annual basis.

Nationals NSW Upper House MP, Sam Farraway said the funding was a result of the NSW Government’s revamped Resources for Regions program giving local towns and communities embedded in the mining industry a guaranteed fairer share of funding. Parkes is one of 24 eligible Local Government Areas to benefit from the fund.

The refurbishment of the Cheney Park amenities block was jointly funded with $200,000 from the Regional Growth Fund, matched by $200,00 from Parkes Shire Council and a $20,000 contribution from the Parkes Touch Football Association.

There has been a recent spike in opportunistic thefts and the Parkes Police are urging residents to lock their vehicles and secure their possessions. “Lock your vehicles,” is the simple message from the Officer in charge of Parkes Police, Chief Inspector Dave Cooper.

He said recent incidents had been very opportunistic in nature with offenders checking cars parked on the street or in driveways. “If they are unlocked, they enter the vehicles and will steal anything of value. If the cars are locked, they move on. The same principle applies with items left unattended in the front yard or veranda. If it’s easy to grab, these offenders may target it. If it’s locked away, they won’t get the chance.”

The Chief Inspector said that unfortunately the days of leaving cars and homes unlocked because of our laid-back country lifestyle were over. “We need to make it harder for offenders.”

The Police will be increasing proactive patrols in response, but they cannot be everywhere. “We are calling on our community to do their bit and lock up.”

The new office bearers of the Parkes Painting Group are (L-R) Helen Huntly (publicity), Di Hutchins (treasurer), Kim Chambers (president) and Annette Witherow (secretary).

If you’ve never picked up a paint brush it does not mean you cannot join the Parkes Painting Group.

After three months of lockdown, the group has been back at Northparkes Oval on Wednesdays from 10am for a day of painting and sharing.

“We are a happy, friendly group doing our own thing, but enjoying the company of others when painting,” said re-elected president, Kim Chambers.

Annette Witherow said the best part of being a member was learning from other painters and their experiences as they all used different mediums.

At its recent inaugural annual general meeting as a newly established incorporated club, all the outgoing office bearers were re-elected with the secretary position going to Annette Whitherow, treasurer to Di Hutchins and publicity to Helen Huntly.

The group became incorporated in order to be able to apply for grants, and they have already been successful with their first application from the Northparkes Community Investment Program.

“We will use the grant as prize money for an Elvis Art Exhibition in combination with the Parkes Camera Club annual exhibition at the festival,” said Kim.

The group had to cancel their annual exhibition because of COVID-19, and are hopeful the Elvis exhibition would be able to go ahead.

The Parkes Painting Group also organise workshops with well-known artists from out of town for members, but has not been able to this year so far. They are just happy to be able to be back as a group.

Parkes Shire Council received $2.2 million for the East Street project that includes a new bridge and culvert structure.

The condition of East Street where it crosses the railway line and creek has deteriorated vastly over recent years, but not for much longer. The Parkes Shire received a cash injection of over $3.5 million for the rehabilitation of East Street and to upgrade and seal Cookamidgera Road.

The scope of the East Street project of $2.2 million includes a new bridge and culvert structure, replacing failing units, formalising a drainage channel to improve flow conditions, kerbs and gutters to improve drainage, widening of the narrow pavement and rehabilitation, and relocation of four water mains and sewer main.

The Cookamidgera Road project, totalling $1.3 million involves the sealing of 1.3km of an existing unsealed road, improving safety on substandard bends and crest reconstruction. The project also includes a concrete causeway reconstruction through high volume waterway mitigating the damage caused by flooding.

“I know regional and rural residents rely on roads much more than our city counterparts, which is why I took our fight to the Cabinet table to deliver for residents in the Parkes Shire,” said Riverina MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack.

“Parkes Council submitted a shortlist of projects which they deemed as shovel ready and from there I have worked tirelessly in my role as Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development along with NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole to ensure our regional roads receive the funding they deserve.”

NSW Nationals Upper House MP Sam Farraway said: “We’re turbocharging this funding to ensure we create jobs and create better journeys on the roads that really matter to local communities, in what has been a difficult period for all.”

Consider volunteering for Share The Dignity this August in Parkes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has proved to us all how important kindness is, here is an opportunity to show some compassion for others.

Share the Dignity works to make a real difference in the lives of women and girls experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence or doing it tough, through distributing sanitary items. A call has been made for the Parkes community to help out.

Share the Dignity is looking for more volunteers to help collect, count and distribute sanitary products to local charities to help combat period poverty with the upcoming August Dignity Drive.

Rochelle Courtney, Share the Dignity’s Founder says that with the increase in period poverty the charity needs help on the ground to bring the Dignity Drive to life.

“At Share the Dignity, our volunteers are called ‘Sheroes’ and ‘Heroes’; they are the heart and soul of our organisation. We simply couldn’t do it without them. They volunteer their time to help women and girls dealing with period poverty in their local communities, delivering the products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups to local charities. Every woman in Australia deserves to be able to manage their period with dignity.”

For more information on how to become a volunteer, visit their website at www.sharethedignity.com.au

Residents can sign up to receive the the new monthly Northparkes Mines e-newsletter at www.northparkes.com.

CMOC-Northparkes Mines announced the launch of the first edition of the Northparkes Newsletter on Wednesday. The e-newsletter will be distributed on a monthly basis.

“The aim of the newsletter is to create another channel to connect with our local community members,” said Community and External Relations Advisor, Ali Standen.

“The newsletters will include updates about our operations, our people, career opportunities, scholarship programs, up-coming events and our investment pro- grams and partnerships.” Stacey Kelly Manager People, Safety and Environment said: “This e-newsletter is another way for us to ensure our local community members are aware of our current job vacancies, including our traineeship and scholarship programs, that are designed to support the local communities in which we live and work.” We also invite the community to connect with Northparkes on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Ali invited residents to keep up to date with all the latest news by signing up to the e-newsletter. Visit www.northparkes.com to sign up and get the e-newsletter delivered to your inbox.

A soldier wearing a sheepskin vest during World War I. (Photo: Australian War Memorial)

The winters during World War I were bitterly cold. The trenches did not provide any warmth. Everything froze from clothing to blankets to food. Many soldiers died from pneumonia or froze to death in the flooded and muddy trenches.

When the Australian troops went off to war, they had no idea what was to await them. Not only were they a long way from home, they had to fight in extremely difficult circumstances.

One Australian woman wanted to help them keep warm and had an idea to make sheepskin vests. Eleanor MacKinnon managed to rally Australians for money and bought sheepskins to be turned into vests for the Australian, British and Canadian troops.

Wool brokers collected the skins and tanned them, while the Red Cross co-ordinated an army of volunteers to stitch the ‘Digger’s Vest’, as they became known, together. By 1916 over 75,000 vests and 61,000 insoles had been sent to soldiers at the front. The vests helped to save thousands of lives.

One of these historical vests is now on display at the Henry Parkes Museum. Rosemary Prior of the Parkes and District Historical Society came across the 100-year-old vest when she was sorting out the archives during the COVID-19 lock-down.

Rosemary was so stirred by the discovery that she decided to expand the display to honour local troops from the Parkes Shire who went to war and recognise what they went through.

She tapped into the army records of John Daniel McGee and Frederick Packham to detail their experiences during World War I and John Turner in World War II.

The display also include many other items including army uniforms, a gas mask, tobacco pouch, RAAF sewing kit, army dixie and even a pattern book to knit socks, gloves, vests, balaclavas, scarves and knee caps for soldiers.