NEWSBYTES

Haigh’s Chocolates open in the Hills

HAIGH’S Chocolates will open its sixth Sydney store iat Castle Hill by Christmas. CEP Alister Haigh said the Castle Towers store would comple-

ment the popular city, Bondi Junction, Miranda and Chatswood stores. “Our Sydney customer numbers continue to grow and Haigh’s Chocolates was yet to have a presence in the Hills,” Mr Haigh said. “As the fi rst-choice retail destination in the area Castle Towers was a natural fi t for our sixth store.” Founded in 1915 by Alfred Haigh, Haigh’s Chocolates now employs more than 650 people and has stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide as

well as online at www.haighschocolates. com. Haigh’s Chocolates is committ ed to the art of premium chocolate making from the raw cocoa bean and holds international UTZ certifi cation for ethical and sustainable practices.

More counsellors to be appointed

THE NSW Government will provide additional school counselling staff in public schools over the next three years. Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said NSW public schools will have a strong pipeline of trained and qualifi ed school counsellors and school psychologists to draw on over the next few years. "Th rough the NSW Government's sponsorship and scholarship programs, we will be training up to 328 people to join the school counselling workforce between 2020 and 2023," Ms Mitchell said.

Adopted people have choice

FOR the fi rst time in NSW history adopted people will have the option to have both their birth and adopted families included on a birth certifi cate. Att orney General Mark Speakman said this is a signifi cant milestone for adopted people in NSW, as yesterday the Parliament passed legislation enabling a person’s history before and aft er adoption to be recorded on an integrated birth certifi cate (IBC). Connections between birth and adopted families are encouraged under modern practices so that children are able to bett er understand their background and heritage. For information on adoption visit www.facs.nsw.gov.au/ families/adoption.

Early birds vs night owls

EARLY to bed, early to rise…while the old saying promises health, wealth and wisdom, new research confi rms part of the adage holds true, as a world fi rst study shows that people who go to bed early are more likely to be in bett er health and more physically active compared tonight owls. Conducted by the University of Leicester and the University of South Australia, the study assessed the bedtime preferences (sleep chronotypes) of people with Type 2 diabetes, identifying a connection between bedtimes and healthy, active lifestyles.

Michelle Garrard sets a record

MICHELLE Garrard has set a record by being re-elected to her fourth term as deputy Lord Mayor of Parramatt a. No other councillor has served a full term of council in that position, Cr Garrard said. While the deputy comes up for election by fellow councillors every year, the Lord Mayor serves a two-year term. Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer’s term ends at the local government election next September. Th e council elections were due this September, but Covid-19 pushed it to next year. Cr Garrard was elected as part of the Our Local Community (OLC) team on council in 2017. Th e only other nominee for the deputy’s position was Labor’s Patricia Prociv.

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Parramatt a’s heritage buildings saved

 ELIZABETH FRIAS

THE State Government has formally backed down on its decision to demolish two heritage buildings in the heart of Parramatta CBD to build a $780M Powerhouse Museum and create thousands of local jobs.

Th e decision to preserve the more than a century-old-buildings, Willow Grove and St George Terrace, both located on Phillip Street, was confi rmed this week by Arts Minister Don Harwin saying “the decisions were the best outcomes for the Western Sydney community as well as the broader arts industry across the State.”

Under the new plans, Willow Grove will be relocated to a new site in North Parramatt a and restored to its original 19th century charm as an Italianate villa that had many uses including a maternity hospital aft er World War 1.

Only a portion of the rundown St George Terrace built in 1881 by one of Sydney's earliest master builders, providing local ‘tradies’ the oppor- and Welding (MEM30319) and a young people in Blacktown City,” George Coates, will be retained to make way for public walking path and access to the new museum which construction begins once Willow Grove has been completely relocated.

“We’ve listened to the community tell us of their connection to Willow Grove,” Mr Harwin said. “With this decision we will deliver vastly improved access to Willow Grove on a bett er site, and Western Sydney gets its long awaited and much deserved fi rst cultural institution.”

Historic Willowgrove.

Parramatt a MP, Dr Geoff Lee said the community is excited about Powerhouse Parramatt a being a “transformational project that will put our city on the global stage as well as providing over four thousand much-needed jobs during this challenging time for our community.”

“It is critical shovel-ready projects like Powerhouse Parramatt a proceed and we are powering ahead with this once in a generation project for Western Sydney,” said Dr Lee. Parramatt a mayor, Cr Bob Dwyer said relocating Willow Grove and preserving it at a new site will provide an opportunity to “breathe new life into this historic building, while still delivering a world-class cultural institution at an iconic location in Parramatt a’s CBD.” “Th e Powerhouse will not only bring more visitors to our region and boost our local economy, but help foster our booming creative sector,” Cr Dwyer said Christopher Brown, chairman of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue said: “Representatives from arts and culture, community groups, business, sports and entertainment are joining together to fi ght for our museum in Western Sydney. More than anything, we want the Government to get on with the job of building, what we consider to be one of Western Sydney’s most iconic developments.”

Mr Brown said the alliance strongly believed the relocation of Willow Grove to North Parramatt a is a winwin solution for the community and a new lease of life for Willow Grove.

Mr Brown said the historic Linden House was successfully relocated into the Lancer Barracks site in 1963 while the old Kings School chapel was moved in the 1970s from the banks of the Parramatt a River to its

Welding academy opens at Blacktown

ASTATE-OF-ART facility qualifi cations during these diffi cult Blacktown City Mayor Tony Fabinox Welding Academy which offers specialised weld- employment times brought on by Bleasdale OAM, (pictured right) features 13 training bays, a 15-seating training has opened in the COVID-19 pandemic. paid a visit recently to the new er classroom, two virtual reality Blacktown City. Th e newly-refurbished centre training facility. machines, and one real weld machine,

Fabinox Welding Academy, a in Riverstone off ers Certifi cate III “It is wonderful that Fabinox is and can cater for up to 50 students at registered training organisation, is training in Engineering Fabrication investing in jobs and the future of one time across the diff erence courses. current site in North Parramatt a. tunity to upgrade their skills and range of other courses. he said. Visit: www.fabinoxweldingacademy.com.au

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