Cast and crew are excited for the opening night, Saturday the 15th. Get your tickets and come along and support local theatre.

Not Now Darling is a British farcical comedy featuring minks, mistresses, mobsters and mistaken identities, including scantily clad women hiding in cupboards! This production is the directorial debut for Parkes M&D member Hannah Symonds, who has over 20 years of theatrical experience and graced the Parkes M&D stage as Elphaba in the 2021 production of Wicked.

Not Now Darling follows the flamboyant Gilbert Bodley (Aaron Kingham) as he schemes to seduce the beautiful stripper Janie McMichael (Lisa Ramsay) by offering her an exquisite £5,000 mink coat.

Unfortunately, Janie’s husband, Harry McMichael (Benson O’Donnell), mustn’t know about the affair so the coat is offered to Harry at an excellent price of £500, with Gilbert paying the remainder.

Harry realises the bargain and instead buys the coat for his curvaceous secretary Sue Lawson (Hannah Symonds). Gilbert is shocked by this turn in events and both he and his nervous assistant Arnold Crouch (Russell Tanswell) are further embarrassed when Janie refuses to leave the salon by stripping down. Their frenzied attempts to retrieve the coat from Sue and hide the naked Janie are further complicated by the unexpected arrival of Gilbert’s wife Maude Bodley (Lyn Townsend).

Meanwhile, Arnold’s method of hiding any discarded ladies underwear is to throw them out the window, leaving the salon’s spinster secretary Miss Tipdale (Jessica Morgan) to retrieve the garments and any other items tossed from the window. The hilarious events at the salon are interrupted by the elderly couple Mr. and Mrs. Frencham (Steve McGrath and Ruth Barnes) as they navigate the law, as well as the beautiful fur model Miss Whittington (Gyhaan Edwards).

Opening 15th July to the 30 th July 2023. A group ticket discount of buy five get one free will apply. Head to the website for more details. www.parkesmandd.com.au

GET THE FACTS ABOUT THE VOICE REFERENDUM 

Australia is having a conversation about the Voice referendum being held later this year. It’s about whether we should change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. The Parkes Shire Library has information booklets available that have been issued by the Australian Government providing information on how a referendum works; the referendum question and constitutional amendment; what the Voice is and what would it do?

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Board Games Day Friday: Families are invited to drop into Parkes Library to enjoy playing a board game with friends and family. Friday 7 July during library opening hours. FREE event. 

Kids Flicks @ Parkes Library: For students in Kindergarten to Year 6. Come and enjoy a junior movie and popcorn! Wednesday 12 July, 10:30am – 12pm. FREE event in person bookings essential. 

Picasso Faces: Learn about Picasso and play a game to create an art-work in his style. Tullamore Library Wednesday 12 July, 11:30am – 1pm. $2pp, bookings essential on 6861 2309.

Paint Like A Pro: Learn about Pro Hart and create an artwork using his methods. Peak Hill Library Thursday 13 July. $2pp, bookings essential on 6861 2309.

LITTLE BANG DISCOVERY CLUB RETURNS TO PARKES LIBRARY

Young scientists and their lab assistants gathered in Parkes Library during June for the Little Bang Discovery Club. The children made amazing discoveries by predicting, testing, conducting experiments and more! Stay tuned for information on future sessions of Little Bang Discovery Club.

YOUTH LIBRARY LOCK-IN

Young people aged 12-18 years are invited to come to our popular Library Lock-In event. Enjoy games, a free dinner and exclusive use of the Parkes Library. Monday 31 July, 5:30-8pm. Bookings open 17 July at events.humanitix.com/July23youthlockin

Owner of The Modular and Tiny Homes Co. Daniel Relyea, standing inside one of his Tiny Homes. Come along to the Tiny Homes and Co. open day this Saturday and view this single story tiny home inside and out.

If you have ever been curious about the tiny home revolution? This Saturday 1st July, you can head along to the first ever open day for The Modular and Tiny Homes Co. where all of your questions will be answered. The open day will be held between 10am to 2pm at 7 Gemini Place in Parkes. 

Daniel Relyea, owner of The Modular and Tiny Homes Co. is excited to be holding an open day in order for the public to come along and have a look at what he has to offer. 

Visitors on the day will be able to view a fully completed single level studio design, which comes fully equipped with kitchen and bathroom. Also on-site on the day will be a two-story tiny home, which is still under construction, but can be inspected both inside and outside. 

The single story studio design which is pictured above and will be on site at open day, was recently taken to the Tiny Homes Expo in Hawkesbury on May 12th-14th and Daniel was pleased with the amount of interest that was shown and even surprised by the amount of Central West residents who approached him at the Tiny Homes Expo. 

With the cost of housing crisis gripping Australia, Tiny Homes have become extremely sought after. Tiny Homes offer an affordable option of either temporary or permanent housing and can be used in rural or residential areas. 

The options are endless and Daniel can provide structures on skids or wheels, in kit form, lock up stage for those who want to finish their own interiors, or completely finished and ready to move in. 

Tiny House trailers are also available from The Modular and Tiny Homes Co. and may be purchased with your tiny house or on it’s own. 

The added bonus is that if you purchase a Tiny Home, Daniel provides free delivery within 150km of Parkes. 

The Community Of Unity Tour will be at the Parkes Services Club in the Starlight Room at 6pm on Wednesday 21st June.

Australia has been through some tough times during the past four years. Various natural disasters including fire and floods combined with changes to government policies has resulted in some Australians feeling disillusioned and cynical of the institutions they once trusted.

As a Qantas pilot, Captain Graham Hood had an extensive career spanning 50 years. He made an agonising decision to resign when he chose not to accept corporate mandates imposed on his industry.

Graham and his wife Michelle have chosen to stand up and be a voice in a world they perceive is tearing itself apart. 

“We can just ignore the plight of our nation or stand up and do something constructive to restore this once great land,” Graham said.

Graham has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at public events and reached a global audience via his podcast, called Club Grubbery, with friend John Larter. John Larter was a paramedic for 25 years, who was terminated for refusing to accept a mandate he disagreed with.

Together, they reach hundreds of thousands every week, sharing their views. “This hasn’t been an easy journey” says Graham. “In recent months we have been drawing attention to the many injured by this armoury of government and corporate policies.”

Graham and Michelle come across many heartbreaking stories as they tour our country in their efforts to bring communities together. 

In the past year they have visited 180 communities and spoken at gatherings of hundreds of people. A man of faith, Graham has baptised almost 200 people in various locations who he claims are seeking a simple faith to help them navigate the perplexities of the ‘new normal’. 

Parkes residents can hear this couple speak at a free event on Wednesday, 21st June at 6pm, in the Stalight Room of the Parkes Services Club. 

Head along and score yourself a bargain as Forbes Better Home Living prepares to close its doors.

After 21 years of serving the local community, Forbes Betta Home Living are closing their doors for the final time on Friday, 9th June. With an impending retirement near, owners Ian and Mandy Westcott have decided to close the business.

Family owned and operated, Ian and Mandy Westcott are the second generation in their family to run the Forbes store. For the past 21 years, the Forbes store has been a one-stop shop, helping the local community find the right appliances and furniture for their home, with the store stocking a huge range of Kitchen, Laundry, Small Appliances, IT products and Bedding.

To mark its closure, the team at Forbes Betta Home Living are offering the community mark-downs and reductions across a range of home appliances and consumer electrical goods. For a limited time until the final operating date of Friday 9th June, Forbes Betta Home Living are offering bargains including:

• Up to 25% off Fridges
• Up to 30% off Washing Machines
• Up to 50% off Small Appliances
• Up to 30% off Floorcare
• Up to 20% off Dishwashers

The Forbes Betta Home Living Closing Down Sale will run until Friday 9th June 2023, while stocks last.

Despite the closure of the Forbes store, Parkes Betta Home Living will continue to service the Forbes local community, which is only a 25-minute drive north of the Forbes location. Customers can still receive amazing service, deals, and exceptional local advice on all your fridge and freezer, kitchen and cooking appliances, air conditioning, furniture, bedding, TV and audio requirements.

Parkes Betta Home Living are located at 11 Saleyards Road Parkes and you can contact them on 6862 2237. Opening hours may vary, please call or check the Betta website for more information.