Swan Magazine August 2016

Unit 8 Vale Town Centre 31 Egerton Drive Aveley WA 6069 Phone: 9296 7688

Email: frank.alban@mp.wa.gov.au

If you would like to receive a free copy of the new, expanded digital Swan Magazine sent to you electronically and save a tree’s life, send an email to: editor@swanmagazine.com.au with ‘Subscribe’ in the subject line.

䘀愀琀栀攀爀猀 䐀愀礀 䰀甀渀挀栀

Annie’s Vintage Wonderland Your One Stop Vintage Prop & Decor Shop 0430 456 586

Shop 3/121 James St., Guildford www.anniesvinatagewonderland.com

匀唀一䐀䄀夀 㐀吀䠀 匀䔀倀吀䔀䴀䈀䔀刀 ⨀吀攀爀洀猀 ☀ 挀漀渀搀椀琀椀漀渀猀 愀瀀瀀氀礀

吀伀 䈀伀伀䬀 䌀䄀䰀䰀 ⠀ 㠀⤀ 㤀㈀㜀㤀 ㄀㄀㘀㜀

䔀䴀䄀䤀䰀 爀攀猀琀愀甀爀愀渀琀䀀挀愀瘀攀爀猀栀愀洀栀漀甀猀攀⸀挀漀洀⸀愀甀

䘀伀刀 䴀伀刀䔀 䤀一䘀伀 嘀䤀匀䤀吀 眀眀眀⸀挀愀瘀攀爀猀栀愀洀栀漀甀猀攀⸀挀漀洀⸀愀甀

圀椀渀渀攀爀 ㈀ ㄀㔀㬀 䰀椀挀攀渀猀攀搀 䌀愀猀甀愀氀 䐀椀渀椀渀最 圀椀渀渀攀爀 ㈀ ㄀㐀㬀 䰀椀挀攀渀猀攀搀 䌀愀猀甀愀氀 䐀椀渀椀渀最 䘀椀渀愀氀椀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㔀㨀 䰀吀栀攀 䌀䤀䄀 䜀漀氀搀 倀氀愀琀攀 嘀攀渀甀攀 䌀愀琀攀爀攀爀猀 䄀眀愀爀搀 䘀椀渀愀氀椀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㐀㬀 吀栀攀 䌀䤀䄀 䜀漀氀搀 倀氀愀琀攀 嘀攀渀甀攀 䌀愀琀攀爀攀爀猀 䄀眀愀爀搀

1

EDITORIAL MUFFINS, MARKETING AND SMALL CHILDREN

A

re you sitting comfortably? Good. I’m going to tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a nice young mother - we’ll call her Jessica, since that’s her name. Now Jessica had a four year old son, we’ll call him ‘Jack’.

Like the rest of the parents in the world Jessica indulged in a little parental bribery. “Be a good boy for mummy while we’re shopping and we’ll have an ice cream/muffin/sweetie afterwards”.

Jack is four years old and in common with every other four year old, routine and keeping promises is important. And as Jack has a form of autism, it is even more important than usual.

Jack’s treat was muffins - not just any muffins, but those from Muffin Break. Their Muffin Break of convenience was the one at Maddington and as usual the two went in on the 26th July.

The muffins were lined up on the counter, open, enticing and inviting and just begging to be eaten. Jack excitedly pointed to the one he wanted.

In Jessica’s own words: “As he did this the girl making coffee stopped and yelled at him. She yelled so loud that he burst into tears.

“She went back to making coffees and ignored the fact she had just upset a four year old. I asked her to apologise for yelling at him because he hadn't touched it, just pointed, but was told 'he touched the muffin, I saw it' as though that is an excuse to yell at someone else's child.

“By now my son is hysterical and I tried to explain to her how my child has autism and a stranger talking to him, let alone yelling at him, is very upsetting for him.

“The only response I received was that ‘he shouldn't have touched the muffins’. By now the other girl working there was watching and laughing at my son.

“I told her how rude she was to do that and she responded with 'you're rude'. To have an employee of Muffin Break yell at a child enough to make him cry and another one laugh at a child with autism is completely unacceptable.

“This is the first time I have come across discrimination towards my son and I am heartbroken. Times are challenging enough without having ignorant people treating us with such disrespect.

“I did inform centre management of the issue and they were very upset to hear what had occurred. They contacted the owner of Muffin Break Maddington but I have not heard anything from them.”

Mothers of children that have been shouted at through no fault of their own are, quite rightly, as protective as mother lionesses whose cubs have been attacked by hyenas. Throw in autism and lionesses could take notes from the mother.

Jessica was so upset that she took to the only means available to her - Facebook. She wrote as above on the Muffin Break Facebook page.

Now at this point the whole unhappy event could have been resolved by the manager/owner of the Maddington Muffin Break ringing Jessica, apologising for the event, apologising that the

2

muffins weren’t covered and saying that he had counseled the employee concerned not to shout at the customers’ small children and make them cry.

She’d probably have made him grovel a bit and then the incident would have faded into the background and they’d have just looked for a new muffin source. This would have been good management and good customer relations - polite and good commercial sense.

The manager chose not to do this.

However, a number of people wrote/replied to Jessica’s original Facebook post in support of her, several stating that they would no longer patronise that store. The matter started to take on a life of its own.

Muffin Break Head Office (and remember these are franchise stores and not directly controlled in any real sense) took to Facebook and approached Jessica with apologies, gifts of vouchers and merchandise (all emblazoned with the Muffin Break logo, which Jack now associated with shame, crying and unhappiness) and a suggestion that they teach Jack how to cook muffins at another store.

This last suggestion was rather novel and clever and in most cases would have been a masterly solution.

However, if I am insulted by Harry, having Tom or Dick say sorry, while Harry sulks in the corner does not mollify me.

I recall my grandmother, a very wise lady indeed telling me when she was teaching me manners: “An apology with reservations is a further affront” and “An apology delayed is no apology”. Good manners and good management.

In all fairness Muffin Break’s Head Office could have done no more than they did and I’m sure they did it with good will and good intent.

But they, nor can anyone else, apologise on someone else’s behalf. The Maddington store owner has now, I am given to understand, made contact with Jessica.

Her words again: “The owner finally called me yesterday. He said he ‘didn’t know it was such a big deal’ and he ‘thought head office had taken care of it’ ... He said he was very sorry and he’s made the girls read every comment on Facebook so they are aware of what they did.”

A dollar short and a day late.

Now, from the perspective of a dispassionate outsider two things about the story stick out.

Firstly, food offered for sale should not be where four year old fingers can touch it, and secondly even if Jack had touched the muffin he was also the one who was going to eat it - he was indicating the one he wanted.

But even more important than these two points is the rude treatment - which absolutely no one has denied - of a small child is unforgivable in any service industry, from the perspective of good hospitality, good service or common decency.

In the interests of full disclosure the editor of this magazine is a personal friend of Jessica’s, which is how we know her side of the story is accurate, even if it had been challenged, which it

has not. Swan Magazine approached the Muffin Break Head Office for a comment and received the following which we quote in full: “Our values at Muffin Break are to produce simple freshly baked food and provide great customer service. “ We unquestionably know that our customers are everything to us – without them, we can’t continue baking high quality food, which we love to do. All of us at Muffin Break were saddened to hear Ms. (name withheld) experience at the Muffin Break store on the 26th of July.

“The interaction she and her son had with the staff at the Muffin Break store is unacceptable and does not reflect the wider Muffin Break team, who work passionately towards great customer service on a daily basis. We have had direct contact with Ms. X and have listened to her feedback. We understand the interaction and impact that she and her son have experienced. We have sincerely apologised to both of them. We take this matter seriously and are in on-going communication to provide her son with a unique and positive experience at Muffin Break.

“Uncovered food is against Muffin Break food policies and this has been addressed with the store.”

Despite everything Head Office has done, and it’s hard to think what else they could have attempted, the damage has been done and I, and everyone else exposed to this story, will look at Muffin Break a bit differently as we pass by.

And that’s a pity. Which could have been so easily avoided.

But, and here’s the rub, it is symptomatic of a much, much wider issue in Western Australia - the quality of service in the hospitality industry.

I don’t know the servers at that store personally, but I have been served by their spiritual twins many times.

They’re the ones who can’t be bothered to look you in the eye when talking to you, who can’t break off their conversation with their mates when you approach the counter, who can’t offer an opinion when asked for a suggestion, the ones who obviously resent your intrusion into their working day.

And there are far, far too many of them serving at restaurants, cafes and behind counters of all kinds all over WA. I make the exception of Margaret River, where I found the service to be universally remarkably good.

Some years ago I was a judge on the Hospitality Apprentice of the Year panel. The kids were exceptional - they could peel and flambé a banana in brandy using only two forks and a small sautée pan in three minutes.

Talking to them afterwards I found they were all planning on heading eastwards or overseas.

We are training the best and brightest to a high standard and then exporting them elsewhere.

We remember vividly when we are well served, and remark on it to friends, or comment on it in reviews, simply because it so important an aspect of hospitality - and more people need to remember that.

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES

PAGE

Art & Leisure

Gardening MAC in August Every Artist Needs a Kickstart Darlington Arts Festival

18 16 17 19

Books Editorial The Idler Writing

Fiction

32 1 35 33 34

Business Card Board

Computers Finance with Steve Get Social with Jay

40 30 31 29

Books and Writing

Business

Community

Josh Hits a Home Run 2 Karate Student Competes 2 Scupture Park Opened 5 Notes FromParliament 5 SVRN 6 Northlink WA 6 Support Lai - Cancer Warrior 7 What’s On 8 Duyfken for West Coast 11

SWAN MAGAZINE

PAGE Inglewood on Beaufort Markets 9 Not Just Honey 10 Entertainment

Movies with James Little Shop of Horrors The Decadent and Depraved Theatre with Gordon

27 24 24 26

I Cook in Your Kitchen Noor Mahal Chef-Explorer Douglas’ Wineries & Dineries Food Trivia

23 20 21 22 22

Food & Wine

Health

WEBSITE:

www.swanmagazine.com.au

Email: editor@swanmagazine.com.au Registered Address: 18 Tokay Lane, The Vines, Western Australia 6069 SEPTEMBER DEADLINES: Advertisements: 25th August Editorial: 1st September Copyright: Swan Magazine 2016

Life in Their Hands 36 Kickstarting New Stroke Research 37 Don’t Wait To Ask 37 Community

SAFE 39 Style & Fashion

Styled by Kirsty Weddings

14 12

W

herever you see this symbol you will be able to get more information by scanning it with your smartphone, laptop or iPad. The relevant can be downloaded free from your App Store.

Front Page Photograph: Duyfken Photograph: Courtesy of Newton Ganska See story on page 11.

1

COMMUNITY JOSH HITS A HOME RUN RICKY HARVEY

A

young Hills baseball player is shopping for a new winter wardrobe after being recruited to play college baseball in the United States.

Joshua Harvey (18) from Greenmount will be jetting off to Watertown, in up-state New York this month after being recruited by Jefferson Community College to become a ‘Cannoneer’, and join their baseball programme.

Joshua, who plays for the Swan Districts Baseball Club, was recruited through Melbourne based scouting company NSR Australia, after attending try-outs early in 2015.

Having played ‘diamond sports’ (T-Ball, Softball, Baseball) since the age of five, his preferred positions are outfield, short stop and pitcher.

In 2013 he was a member of the Western Allstars under-15 team that toured China, and he recently played for Western Australia in the WA Heat 18s team competing at the Australian Championships in January of this year.

Joshua attended Greenmount Primary School where he was awarded the Senior Specialist Award for Physical Education in Year 6, before attending La Salle College where he was a House Captain in Year 12.

He will now be attending Jefferson Community College, a campus of the State University of New York, where he will be studying Physical Education & Sports Management.

As well as baseball, Joshua plays State League soccer with Swan United Football Club and he is a registered swimming teacher working for the WA Department of Education and the City of Swan.

Joshua Harvey (Photograph by Ricky Harvey)

KARATE STUDENT COMPETES IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP LISA SKRYPICHAYKO

P

hillip Salmon of Sensei Bob Allen's Swan Hills Goju Ryu Karate club in Midland represents Western Australia at this year's Australian Karate Federation National Championship Tournament, in Glen Waverley Victoria August 12-14.

Salmon has been practicing karate for six years and views competitions as a special opportunity to focus his training and fine tune his techniques.

The Mt Lawley resident said “I’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours, working on specifics like transitions between movements and sharp,

2

snappy techniques. Now all I need to do is trust that the foundation is there, so I can relax and give it my all on the day”.

After his debut at the 2015 Australian Nationals in the kumite (fighting) division, Salmon is rising to new challenges this year, competing not only in the Men’s Open Kata but also as a member of the WA Karate Federation’s Men’s Kata Team.

“Kata” means a performance of set patterns representing karate fighting moves, and is judged on criteria including accuracy and effectiveness

of techniques, speed, athleticism and an elusive quality called zanchin, meaning sustained mental and physical and awareness. Team kata adds another dimension to the performance by including bunkai, demonstrating Sensei Bob Allen applications of the techniques through simulated combat.

Salmon says loves the sense of community among his fellow karateka, and is excited to be working with his team kata partners Tom Pettit and Theo Prinsloo of Shobukan Martial Arts.

“It’s great being part of this team – we train to perform extremely high quality kata, but also get to demonstrate how effectively these techniques and patterns work in a fight.”

Continued on page 19...

Sporrng Subsidy Schemes Swan Hills local sporting and recreation clubs will be able to purchase new equipment, thanks to grants from the Liberal National Government’s Community Sporting Club Equipment Subsidy Scheme.

The scheme has provided clubs across Western Australia with a $500 grant to purchase new gear. The money goes towards essential tools for clubs - like new bibs, bats and balls. The subsidy means clubs can replace aging stock or upgrade and add to their supplies, allowing more people to join their club. This Government is a strong supporter of sport and recreation and this is one of the wayswe support grassroots clubs. Sport and recreation plays a central role in vibrant communities and it is important we help athletes reach their full potential.”

In the latest round, 625 regional clubs will receive a total of $312,500 and 383 metropolitan clubs will receive a total of $191,500. To date, 2,610 clubs across 83 sports have shared in $1.3 million.

Subsidies for metropolitan clubs come from the Department of Sport and Recreation while subsidies for regional clubs are provided by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program.

The following clubs in my electorate of Swan Hills that will be benefiting from this round of subsidies are: Eastern Hills Cricket Club Inc, Riding for the Disabled Association Brigadoon, Mundaring Netball Club Inc, Glen Forrest Tennis Club Inc, Glen Forrest Sports Club Inc, Mundaring Junior Football Club, Hills Rangers Football Club, Mundaring Sporting Club, Chidlow Junior Football Club Inc, Riding for the Disabled Association Hills Group Inc, Parkerville Junior Football Club, Panthers Basketball Club Inc, Gidgegannup Senior Football Club.

For more information on the community Sporting Club Equipment Subsidy Scheme: http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/funding/clubs/clubequipment-subsidy _______________________________________

Eric from Swan Hills Ace Charter baseball team travelling to the East coast.

Some 19 young athletes will receive funding for athlete travel subsidies. This scheme offsets out-of-pocket travel and accommodation costs associated with attending eligible training camps and competitions within the sport’s official talent development pathway at a regional, state and national level.

“Since 2013, the Liberal National Government has invested more than $1.4 million into the scheme, supporting 3,287 athletes in 75 sports.”

“This is a great imitative which gives financial assistance to our aspiring athletes who have to travel to either compete or attend training camps.”

For more information: www.dsr.wa.gov.au/funding/individuals/athlete-travel-subsidy-scheme

E: frank.alban@mp.wa.gov.au Tel: (08) 9296 7688 Unit 8, Vale Town Centre, 31 Egerton Dr, AVELEY, WA, 6096

3

4

COMMUNITY SCULPTURE PARK OFFICIALLY OPENED BY PREMIER

T

he Shire of Mundaring’s newly upgraded Mundaring Community Sculpture Park was officially opened by the Premier recently.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett attended the ceremony, along with many other members of Cabinet and local politicians.

Shire President David Lavell said the Shire was extremely proud of the $1.1million project.

“The project has been many years in planning and works began in 2015 with an overhaul of the play space,” he said.

“New equipment, a boardwalk tunnel, swings and a flying fox have been installed, along with a very popular nature play area and an educational, interactive play installation in the form of an Ornate Crevice Dragon.

Mundaring Community Sculpture Park was officially opened by Premier Colin Barnett today, alongside Shire President David Lavell and Donna Faragher.

NOTES FROM PARLIAMENT HON DONNA FARAGHER JP, MLC Member for East Metropolitan R egion Parlimentary Secretary to the Premier

S

EXPANDED MOTOR VEHICLE INJURY INSURANCE SCHEME

ince 1 July 2016, motor injury insurance has been broadened in Western Australia to provide lifetime care and support for people catastrophically injured in a motor vehicle accident where they were either at fault or unable to identify another driver at fault.

These changes follow the passage of the Motor Vehicle (Catastrophic Injuries) Bill 2016 through State Parliament earlier this year.

There are approximately 1,800,000 motorists in Western Australia and the changes mean that those people who have been catastrophically injured in motor vehicle crashes who are not able to claim from the Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme may be eligible under the expanded cover.

No-fault premiums will be used to fund the care and support of people catastrophically injured, estimated at an average cost of $4 million per person over the course of their lives.

Catastrophic injuries include spinal cord and

traumatic brain injuries, multiple amputations, severe burns and permanent traumatic blindness in line with Nationally Agreed Minimum Benchmarks.

The care provided includes medical treatment, rehabilitation, attendant care, aids, appliances as well as modifications to homes and/or vehicles.

The cost of this expanded insurance cover will be a maximum of $99 in the first year for each vehicle and motorcycle with smaller increases for other vehicle types including tractors and vintage cars.

Caravans and trailers will be fully insured under the current insurance premium.

This very important scheme will provide security to people who suffer catastrophic injuries in a motor vehicle accident as well as their families and loved ones.

Further information can be obtained by visiting the website: https://www.icwa.wa.gov.au/ expanded-motor-injury-insurance

Premier Colin Barnett, Shire President David Lavell and Nic Compton, one of the Ornate Crevice Dragon artists

“Recently the carpark and picnic zones were completed which has expanded the grassed areas, and included the installation of new BBQs and picnic tables.”

Cr Lavell said Sculpture Park had proved a huge drawcard for the area.

“We’ve heard of people travelling from all over Perth to see our upgraded park, which is a fantastic asset for our community,” he said.

“It provides a gateway to the nearby Mundaring Weir Interpretation Precinct and is a wonderful day out for the whole family. The playground also has many accessible features including swings, soft fall covering, paths and music equipment.”

Cr Lavell said the project would not be possible without funding and support from a number of organisations including Lotterywest, Water Corporation, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Mundaring Arts Centre and the Federal Government.

If you would like to receive a free copy of the new, expanded digital Swan Magazine sent to you electronically and save a tree’s life, send an email to: editor@swanmagazine.com.au with ‘Subscribe’ in the subject line.

5

SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK NORTHLINK WA

N

orthLink WA will transform the existing Tonkin Highway to a freeway standard link with six lanes.

There will be new interchanges and flyovers creating a free-flowing environment and a safer, more efficient transport route.

What does this mean for local road users?

These changes will allow local road users to adjust their current travel patterns and choose routes that allow quicker, safer and more efficient journeys.

Removing traffic lights at some intersections and redirecting traffic from outlying suburbs to the main highway will ease congestion on local road networks, resulting in improved safety.

Some of the benefits the new freeway will bring include: • A major freeway interchange with no traffic lights connecting Tonkin Highway and Reid Highway.

• Interchanges along Tonkin Highway at Collier Road, Morley Drive and Reid Highway allowing free-flowing north-south traffic.

• A new interchange at Hepburn Avenue taking regional traffic from the north-west onto Tonkin Highway rather than down Beechboro Road North, through the Morley residential area.

NorthLink WA is set to change the way traffic moves in and around Perth’s north east.

• A flyover at Benara Road over Tonkin Highway will quickly distribute eastwest traffic.

Benara Road, Marshall Road and Beechboro Road North intersections are all too close to the new major freeway interchange to allow on/off ramps to the Tonkin and Reid Highways.

How will local communities benefit?

The new free-flowing link will dramatically improve traffic flow and cut travel times along Tonkin Highway from Ellenbrook all the way to Perth Airport.

Some road users currently take short cuts through the suburbs to avoid the congested Tonkin Highway.

Traffic from Ellenbrook, Ballajura and suburbs further north that currently use Beechboro Road North will be directed onto the freeway.

When NorthLink WA is finished, it will have extra capacity to handle higher traffic volumes, leaving local roads less congested for local communities.

Will it be safe for cyclists and pedestrians?

Cyclists and pedestrians are well catered for with a new extra-wide shared path being built from Guildford Road to Ellenbrook.

Bike transport is significantly increasing across Australia, with more people choosing to cycle instead of driving the car.

One of the widest shared paths in Perth, this new four-metre wide path will be a big attraction for cyclists and pedestrians.

Will NorthLink WA remove congestion completely?

NorthLink WA will take traffic off local roads and onto Tonkin Highway, leaving local roads for local journeys.

Without NorthLink WA, local roads would become busier, less safe and even more congested.

Where there’s only a flyover, how will I access the new highway?

Road users will need to find different ways to access the highway.

For example, if you normally access Tonkin Highway at Benara Road, you might go south on Beechboro Road North and on to Morley Drive instead (blue).

Or you may choose to travel up Beechboro Road North to the new interchange at Hepburn Avenue, if you want to head north (red).

Or you may continue along Benara Road and join Reid Highway at the new Malaga Drive intersection, if heading west (green).

These options might mean you need to travel a little further, but you will save time because there will be less congestion and no waiting at traffic lights.

For more information about NorthLink WA visit: www.northlinkwa. com.au.

6

SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK SUPPORT KAI - CANCER WARRIOR COMMUNITY AMY RYAN SUPPORT arly in 2015, at just

E

two years of age Kai Nell was diagnosed with High Risk Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, he fought a tough battle with four rounds of high dose chemotherapy and a life saving bone marrow transplant.

After spending over six months living in an isolation room at PMH he got to go home, he was in remission but the journey was not over.

AML is a notoriously hard cancer to cure and relapse is common, and after nearly a year since his bone marrow transplant Kara and Richard have been given the devastating news that he has relapsed.

This means little Kai has to undergo more intensive chemotherapy treatment and another bone marrow transplant.

He has a huge fight ahead of him.

Throughout Kai's diagnosis and treatment to date, Kara and Richard have selflessly raised over $50,000 for charities wanting to bring awareness and funding to this awful disease.

Now they are faced with the biggest hurdle to date and I'm sure, like myself, many of you feel helpless and desperate to help.

The treatment is gruelling and requires at least one of them to be in the isolation room in hospital with Kai 24/7 for many months.

I am fundraising money for the family to ease the financial pressure on them so they can concentrate on taking care of Kai and their other three boys during this extremely difficult time.

A gofundme account has been set up here: https://www.gofundme.com/supportkaisfight and we would really like you to donate (every little bit helps!) or share and together we can help support this family in their time of need.

The goal is to raise $30,000. So far $21,530 has been raised and we thank you most sincerely for that but the family will now need to relocate to Sydney for the transplant, so let’s continue raise as much funds as possible to help them deal with the added financial burden and further disruption to their family life.

Kai needs a bone marrow match to give him the best chance of survival so the best gift you can give is to please join the bone marrow registry in your country, you could be the match Kai (or someone else) needs to save his life!

The website to register is: http://www.abmdr. org.au/.

D

espite having to care for their other children as well as the very ill little boy, not to mention earning a living, Kai’s parents have expended a great deal of energy in fund-raising for various good causes in the community.

The community has responded with an outpouring of support, both emotional and material, from donations to the gofundme appeal to registering on the Bone Marrow Donors list and donating blood.

Some have in addition taken imaginative steps to help.

Zowie Harding of Zebra Fitness, a personal friend of the family, has gathered a few friends and held fund-raising Fun Fitness Bootcamp and provided physical help to complete the garden in the Nells’ home so that Kai has somewhere nice and safe to play when he returns home.

He cannot play with others at kindy or day care because his immune system is so compromised and so Zowie and her husband and friends determined on completing the space.

Many helped with donations of time and labour as well as companies donating soils, turf, plants and the like.

The year-long project is now complete and if you’d like to watch Kai seeing his new garden for the first time a video can be watched on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/zowie.harding?fref=ts Zowie wouldlike to thank all those who helped make this lovely, ill, lad and his family’s Blood donations are also vitally important, life just a little bit easier and better in the way they Kai will need around eighteen blood products to knew would please. get him through treatment.

Thank you, Zowie, and all your gang.

Kai’s mother Kara says: “Thank you all for your kind support of Kai and our family. We are so grateful to each and ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA every one of you.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of Kai’s heart echo came back looking good the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized and his operation and chemo are booked in for by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood Monday. He is very tired and is still getting bad cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and headaches from his lumber puncture. interfere with the production of normal blood We have been told he will receive two rounds cells. of high intensity chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. He will be having the The symptoms of AML are caused by actual transplant in Sydney around November/ replacement of normal bone marrow with December. Princess Margaret Hospital are moving leukemic cells, which causes a drop in red to the new Perth Children’s Hospital towards the blood cells, platelets, and normal white end of the year so all transplant patients will be blood cells. These symptoms include fatigue, transferred to Sydney. shortness of breath, easy bruising and He will continue to receive the best care bleeding, and increased risk of infection. As possible surrounded by amazingly compassionate an acute leukemia, AML progresses rapidly and dedicated doctors and nurses. and is typically fatal within weeks or months We would like to sincerely thank anyone if left untreated. who has kindly donated to our Gofundme page.

We are absolutely overwhelmed and humbled by AML is treated initially with chemotherapy the support for Kai. Every single penny will go to aimed at inducing a remission; people may getting Kai through this fight and filling his life go on to receive additional chemotherapy or a with joy. We appreciate every single donation hematopoietic stem cell transplant. and will use the fund in a very considered way.

Sincerely, thank you” Acute myeloid leukemia is a curable disease; You can follow Kai’s journey on Facebook the chance of cure for a specific person here: www.facebook.com/groups/Bravekai/. depends on a number of prognostic factors.

7

WHAT’S ON IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN EVENT LISTED IN THIS COLUMN RING OUR OFFICE ON 6296 5161 Entries for non-profit entities are free, commercial entries are welcome at $10 per fifty words.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Glen Forrest Group Every Monday evening We meet at 7.00pm at the Glen Forrest Uniting Church, Mc Glew Rd, Glen Forrest. Call Dermot 0488 905 211 or John 0448 074 536 or the Perth Office (all hours) 9325 3566.

MORRIS DANCING All welcome. It’s like bush dancing, with sticks and bells. It’s aerobic exercise and great fun!

Tuesdays 7-9pm practice, Guildford Town Hall, cnr James St and Meadow St, Guildford. And drinks later at the Woodbridge Hotel with live Irish music AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEEDING ASSOC. For more information please contact: Discussion groups, guest speakers, morning Christine Hogan: 9279 8778 tea. Free breastfeeding counselling. Expectant Email: madtattersmorris@iinet.Net.Au mothers, mothers, babies and children welcome. Website: madtattersmorris.Myclub.Org.Au National Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 2686 is a 24 hour 7 days a week service.

BASKERVILLE FAMILY PLAYGROUP EMPTY SESSION – Swan/Mundaring Group meets every Monday, Friday Mornings 9:30-11:30am at the Gumnuts Family Centre, Baskerville Family Playgroup has a free 8 Mudalla Way, Koongamia. A qualified ABA session on Friday mornings in a ‘ready to play’ counsellor is present at each meeting to give facility, great toys and resources as well as a confidential information and support on fenced playground. Set in lovely rural surrounds, breastfeeding issues. Contact Natalie 9572 4971. at Baskerville Memorial Hall, Baskerville.

Normal playgroup costs apply. ($25 per family/ Kalamunda Group meets fortnighly on a term, $30 annual insurance fee to Playgroup WA) Thursday, 9:30-11:30am at the Maida Vale Baptist Phone 9296 1976 or 0419 922 791 or check our Church, Edney Road, High Wycombe. webpage www.swanvalleycommunitycentre.com Contact Jenny 9252 1996.

Northam Group meets each second Tuesday of the month at the Bridgeley Community Centre, Wellington Street, Northam 10am to Noon.

Fourth Tuesday each month at Toodyay Playgroup, Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. Noon to 2pm. Please phone Louisa 9574 0229.

TUESDAY BADMINTON CLUB Tuesdays Join us for Social Badminton from 9am - 11am at Brown Park Recreation Centre. Beginners Welcome. Contact Miriam 9274 5058.

THE HILLS CHOIR Monday Evenings Do you enjoy singing and joining with others to make beautiful music? Come and join the Hills Choir. We meet from 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Uniting Church on Stoneville Road, Mundaring. Contact Margie on 9295 6103 for further information.

SWAN VALLEY SQUARES – ELLENBROOK Every Friday Night Modern Australian Square Dancing from 8.00 pm – 10.00 pm Woodlake Community Hall, 1 Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly, fun and low cost. No previous experience necessary. All Welcome. Contact Greg Fawell 0417 912 241 or www.swanvalleysquares.weebly.com

ELLENBROOK COMMUNITY WEIGHT LOSS CLUB Every Wednesday evening We meet from 6.45pm to 8.00pm at the Woodlake Community Hall, Meeting room 1.

Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly support group and low cost. Male and females of all ages welcome. Contact Shirley 9276 7938 shirleysardelich@aapt.net.au.

8

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE Monday Mornings The Art Group meets at Baskerville Hall from 9am – 12pm for just $5.00 per session.

The group leader is Gilly, she can help and advise with most media. Feel free to come and have a look and meet our local artists – they are a very friendly lot, new members welcome!

For more information call 9296 1976 or E: enquiries@swanvalleycommunitycentre.com W: www.swanvalleycommunitycentre.com.

SWAN HARMONY SINGERS Wednesdays Come and sing with us! Swan Harmony Singers is a community choir that meets, 7-9pm, to sing music ranging from jazz to pop, plus the occasional classic. No auditions. Join us at the Salvation Army Church Hall, 371 Morrison Rd, (opposite Swan View Primary School), Swan View. Enquiries: call Anna on 9299 7249, or Chris on 9298 9529 or 0435 062 728.

ELLENBROOK AND DISTRICT MENS SHED Inc. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday We are open at 4 Transit Way Ellenbrook from 10.00am to 3.00pm. Potential members can turn up on those days and there will be someone to explain what we do and give membership details.

Annual fees are low and members can do their own thing, participate in projects for the community or simply just come in for a chat and a cuppa.

MUSTARD SEED - DISCOVERING COMPUTERS We are considering extending our days to Mustard Seed is a fifteen year old non-profit include Saturdays or evenings if there is enough organisation and teaches all aspects of everyday interest. computing. Ability levels from beginners onwards. Want help with Windows 10? In need SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE of instruction with your Mac computer? Have an MUSIC CLASSES iPad or Android tablet and don’t know what it will Tuesday mornings do? We can help. Cost is $3 per session. Classes Learn to play tunes on piano or keyboard are heldat 56 McGlew Road, Glen Forrest. To immediately – the SIMPLY MUSIC method. Play gain a place enrol now. Forms and information songs, chords, blues and classical in small groups at a reasonable price. are available.

Call Heather 9296 4181 for more details.

Phone 9299 7236 or 0478 604 163 or E: mustardcomputers@gmail.com HILLS CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP W: noodlebytes.com 1st Wednesday of each month Hilltop Grove Estate, 1645 Jacoby Street, SWAN WOODTURNERS GROUP Mahogany Creek. Morning tea provided, between The group meets in the rear hall of The Senior 10.30 - 12.00 noon.

Citizens’ Centre, The Avenue, Midland, at 1-00pm. Enquiries Terina 9572 1655. on 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Tuesday, and at 7-00pm. on 2nd Tuesday of each month. A demonstration and cuppa are the norm. Men and Women are If you would like to receive a welcome. Enquiries to Ted 9295 4438.

TALKING HORSES Wednesday evenings 6:00pm The WA Horse Council equestrian radio program is now in its seventh year. The programme is broadcast on the Community Radio Station 91.3 SportFM. To ensure that your club, event, breed or business gets coverage, call Diane Bennit 0409 083 617.

free copy of expanded digital Swan Magazine sent to you and save a tree’s life, send an email to: editor@swanmagazine.com.au with ‘Subscribe’ in the subject line.

COMMUNITY INGLEWOOD ON BEAUFORT MARKETS ARE BACK! ALLEN NEWTON

H

ills and Swan Valley residents are expected to head in droves to Inglewood On Beaufort Markets on now every Monday night until the end of March for the third year of the highly successful markets.

This year up to a hundred and fifty stalls will be featured, spreading out on both sides of Beaufort Street from Sixth Avenue to Dundas Road at the town clock.

The markets kicked off on the first Monday in August, (August the 1st, oddly enough) and run rain, hail or shine - through to the last Monday in March.

A new food, entertainment and seating hub will be introduced this year in a cul-de-sac on Seventh Avenue, adjacent to New Look Drycleaners.

Founder of the markets, local butcher Vince Garreffa from Mondo Butchers says crowds of up to 5000 visitors attended the markets every Monday during last year’s season.

Organisers are expecting numbers this year to be even bigger with the inclusion of the new food and entertainment hub. There will also be a focus on artisan-style stalls in the library precinct.

Visitors this year will also be part of a more vibrant streetscape with planter boxes made from recycled materials brightening up Beaufort Street.

Vince says the decision by organisers to hold the markets on Mondays was proving to be a good one with both local visitors and those from further afield saying it was a great option on a night when there wasn’t a lot else going on.

He says it has also meant organisers could choose from the best fitting stallholders. The final stalls have been whittled down from more than 300 applications to allow the best mix of food, craft and entertainment.

There will be food outlets, with arts, crafts, fruit and vegetables, plants and others.

There are quite a few new stallholders this year

Inglewood on Beaufort Markets 2015 (Photograph by Jeff Atkinson)

including Josh Catalano from Catalano’s Seafoods and fish aficionado Stuart Fergusson with their new food truck, The Fish Boss, serving fresh seafood.

Josh says the Fish Boss was born out of disappointment in the quality of seafood from Perth’s fish and chip shops, which he didn’t believe were serving the best quality Australian seafood.

They will be offering everything from classic Feral beer battered fish and chips to clean grilled fish and slaw options along with a mean Skull Island Prawn Tacos and fish sliders.

A returning favourite is Meast with its Middle Eastern fare made from scratch for lovers of falafel, halloumi cheese, Arabic rice or Meast’s popular sweet potato fries.

Proprietor Sandra Bahbah says “There’s a huge sense of community and the atmosphere is

so relaxed and positive that we just couldn’t stay away. This is our second season at Inglewood On Beaufort and we are looking forward to interacting with all the lovely people of Inglewood and surrounding suburbs.”

The very popular Satay on Charcoal will also be returning this year and will be based at the Westpac Bank.

Vince Garreffa says Inglewood on Beaufort is unique as a street market: “It’s a great way to get exercise, not have to cook on a Monday night, eat healthily and go for a walk with the husband and the dog. Up and back, both sides of the street is a comfortable kilometer stroll”.

The markets run from 6pm to 9.30pm every Monday and includes stalls in the Library precinct and around the Westpac Bank.

inglEwood NIGht MaRKetS EVERY monday night 6.00 - 9.30pm to march August G

6th to 11th Ave, beaufort st Public & stall enquiries call 0411 881 193

9

COMMUNITY NOT JUST HONEY To the bee, a flower is the fountain of life, and to idea at the time. Cane Toads fall under the same lack of understanding heading. the flower, the bee is a messenger of love.

K ahlil Gibran Chinese scientists had calculated that each Eurasian Tree Sparrow consumed 4.5kg of grain rom time to time one sees on Facebook a post each year — and that for every million sparrows along the lines of ‘The bees are dying, our killed, there would be food for 60,000 people.

Armed with this information, Mao launched planet’s DOOMED!’ Hard thought it might be to belive, not the Great Sparrow Campaign to address the everything on the internet is true, so we decided problem. To accomplish this task, Chinese citizens were mobilized in massive numbers to eradicate to do a little research.

We found that bees pollinate a third of the birds. Experts estimate that hundreds of everything we eat and play a vital role in sustaining millions of sparrows were killed as part of the campaign. the planet’s eco-systems.

Some 84% of the crops grown for human As a result of these efforts, the sparrow became consumption – around 400 different types of nearly extinct in China. And that’s when the plants – need bees and other insects to pollinate problems started. By April of 1960, it started to become painfully obvious to the Chinese leaders them to increase their yields and quality.

These include most fruits and vegetables, many that the sparrows, in addition to eating grains, ate nuts, and plants such as rapeseed and sunflowers insects. that are turned into oil, as well as cocoa beans, Lots of insects. And without the sparrows to curb the insect population, the crops were coffee and tea.

Crops grown as fodder for dairy cows and suffering depredation in a way far worse than if other livestock are also pollinated by bees. And it’s birds had been allowed to hang around. not only food crops that rely on bee pollination, Consequently, agricultural yields that year cotton does as well. As a result, annual global crop were disastrously low resulting in famine. pollination by bees is estimated to be worth $170 To combat the insects the farmer were supplied with insecticides, which also killed the bees, billion.

But beyond their monetary value for resulting in the requirement to pollinate by hand maintaining our fragile food supply, bees also and importing sparrows from the Soviet Union. A make an invaluable contribution to ecosystems day late and a dollar short, as the saying goes. around the world.

Seeds, fruits and berries eaten by birds and The overflow of insects, plus the added effects small mammals are all from plants that are of widespread deforestation and misuse of poisons pollinated by bees, making them guardians of the and pesticides, were a significant contributor to the Great Chinese Famine (1958-1961) in which an food chain and the biodiversity of our species.

The other quote that comes upwith estimated thirty million people died of starvation. monotonous regularity is “If the bee disappears So the importance of the humble bee cannot from the surface of the earth, man would have no be overestimated. more than four years to live. No more bees, no There are 25,000 different bee species more pollination ... no more men!” attributed to around the world. Only four of these species are honeybees, of which the western honeybee (Apis Albert Einstein.

Why a mathemetician would be commenting mellifera) is the one we brought to Australasia. on a purely biologocal phenomonon at a time (he Most people have heard about colony collapse died in 1955) when absolutely no one wasworried disorder, which wiped out a third of all honeybee about bees makes the quote’s attribution highly colonies in the US when it first struck back in 2007. questionable, but its prediction entirely possible. The disorder is still not fully understood, Because bees are under threat- from stupidity but a combination of parasites, viruses, poor as much as anything else: In 1958, China ordered nutrition and pesticides, in particular a new class the extermination of several pests in the The Four of pesticides known as neonicotinoids (NNIs) or Pests campaign — namely mosquitoes, flies, rats, neonics, are thought to be behind the widespread death of honeybees in the US, where 40% of and sparrows.

While many people nowadays would regard colonies are still dying each year. tampering with the ecosystem in such a radical In the UK, honeybee winter losses have ranged way as a shockingly irresponsible idea, this was from 10% to 33% since annual surveys began in a classic case of something appearing like a good 2007.

F

10

Australia has so far been relatively free of Colony Collapse Disorder and entirely free of the varroa mite although local bees are under threat from both the neonicotinoid insecticides, which are not banned here, and the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana.

The Asian honey bee has a native range throughout Asia. In 2007, an incursion of the Asian honey bee was found in Cairns, Queensland.

Attempts to eradicate it have been unsuccessful and it was declared not able to be eradicated in 2011.

However, it’s not all bad news. The Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER), at the University of Western Australia, is running a ‘Better Bees’ programme. Overseen by Professor Boris Baer and his wife Dr Barbara Bear, it’s is a group of eight commercial beekeepers.

Each individual beekeeper owns and maintains some of the twenty-four bee lineages that are currently recognized as being part of “The Western Australian Bee Breeding Program”.

The aim of the program is to maintain a strong genetic pool of honey bee breeding stock for the WA apiary industry to use.

The beehives are observed over the year, looking for the ones that are most healthy. That means hives that are vigorous, producing lots of workers and plenty of honey. From these the virgin queen daughters and males (drones) are selected.

They are then supplied with a honeycomb for food and shipped on to Rottnest Island.

The island is too far away for bees to reach the mainland, that is why there are almost no escaped bees from other hives (feral bees), which could interfere with the breeding program.

Therefore, the “Better Bee” virgin queens and drones can hold their wedding flights undisturbed. Mated queens start laying eggs, founding a new colony.

Queen bees derived from the Better Bees breeding program are highly sought by beekeepers all over Australia generating income for the beekeepers and queen multipliers.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? At a local level, the CIBER researchers said it was important to source honey from local beekeepers. The best thing is if you have a local beekeeper, go and buy the honey there.

It supports your beekeepers and these are the people we really want.

Australian honey is organic; the one that is locally-produced by your beekeepers is the best because it’s not mixed with anything else and the bees have actually flown to nice crops.

Read the label and see where it comes from.

In supermarkets you will find honey from WA and when it’s from WA that is fine.

Also refrain from killing bees. If a swarm gathers in your garden, don’t reach for the fly spray, reach for the phone and ring a beekeeper.

They will come and remove the swarm for you and help the bee industry, and just maybe,the whole human race.

COMMUNITY DUYFKEN SET FOR WEST COAST VOYAGE ALLEN NEWTON

W

ith 2016 marking the 400th Anniversary of the landing of Dirk Hartog on the coast of Western Australia, the replica sailing ship Duyfken will set sail on August 18 from the port of Fremantle to begin the Duyfken 2016 Dirk Hartog Commemorative Voyage and Exhibition program.

Initiated by the State Government of Western Australia, this celebration is to acknowledge the beginnings of European engagement here on the west coast of Australia, marked by Hartog leaving a message of his visit on an inscribed plate that was nailed to a post and jammed in a rock crevice on the most northern point of the island we now know as Dirk Hartog Island

The Hartog Plate is now in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

history," he said.

To support the anniversary program Duyfken will undertake a fourmonth voyage and exhibition program that culminates in her arrival for the Hartog Festival in Denham, Shark Bay on October 19.

Included in Duyfken voyage program are Bunbury, Mandurah, Hillarys, Jurien Bay, Dongara, Geraldton and Denham. At each of these ports Duyfken will go on public exhibition. Already more than 3,500 school children are booked in for educational tours of the ship.

Members of the general public will be able to go aboard and discover the challenges experienced by the ‘Dutchies’ in their quest to grow the incredibly valuable spice trade from the East Indies.

Tickets are available from www.ticketek.com.au/duyfken at $12.74 for those 17 years and over and $5.10 for five to 16 year-olds. There are also ‘pirate’ days at many of the ports where families are encouraged to dress up.

At Cape Inscription on Dirk Hartog Island an official ceremony and plaque unveiling is planned for Tuesday October 25, 400 years to the day from when Hartog landed. Mr Barnett is expected to attend the ceremony and it’s anticipated a flotilla of boats, including STS Leeuwin and Young Endeavour will join Duyfken in the bay below Cape Inscription.

In preparing Duyfken for this major voyage and community engagement program, Lotterywest has provided significant funding to support the first major refurbishment of Duyfken since her launch in 1999.

Duyfken’s official departure will be from the Sardine Wharf, Mews Rd, Fremantle at 10am on Thursday August 18, with the ceremony starting at 9am. The Hon. Bill Marmion will be representing the State Government, and the event will be attended by the Ambassador from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Anyone who would like to see the Duyfken off on its historic voyage is encouraged to attend the ceremony and departure – and to book tickets to go on board.

Engaging the Duyfken replica in this anniversary program provides a tangible connection to the early 1600s. As an authentic replica of her original namesake that was built around 1595, Duyfken gives a real insight into the way ships of this period were constructed. Built in Fremantle and launched in 1999 at a cost of $3.7 million, Duyfken has given more than a million visitors a taste of what life was like for the seafarers of the early 17th century.

Travelling the world, the Duyfken replica has shared the story of Captain Willem Janzoon and the crew of the original Duyfken who became the first Europeans to set foot on Australian soil in 1606, on the western shores of the Cape York Peninsula (some ten years prior to Hartog’s arrival aboard the Eendracht in 1616) and who for the first time recorded contact between Aboriginal Australians and people from the outside world during Duyfken 1606 voyage of discovery.

Indeed, the indigenous people of Cape York still talk about the Duyfken landing in their oral history. For the crew of the original Duyfken, theirs was a voyage beyond the known world at the time.

They thought that a land of gold known as Nova Guinea could exist to the southeast and they set out to find it. What they found was the Gulf of Carpentaria coast of Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the oldest living culture on Earth - but no gold.

The proposed voyage may not be quite as challenging as those of 400 years ago, or even as challenging as the Duyfken’s own voyage back to Holland in the year 2002 when it sailed from Sydney, taking twelve months to reach Texel in the Netherlands to mark the 400th anniversary of the Join the Duyfken Foundation and founding of the Dutch East India Company.

But this voyage is just as important in its role to raise awareness celebrate Western Australia’s of the first recorded European visitors to Australia’s shores. seafaring history.

Efforts to build the Duyfken were led by Fremantle community leader, the late Michael G Kailis who died in June 1999, only weeks $50 membership provides: Free entry for two to before the ship was due to sail for the first time.

In acknowledging the significance of this year’s celebration, WA Duyfken when the ship is open on display; Advance notice of Premier Colin Barnett says it’s fitting that the Duyfken is involved in future voyage opportunities; Regular email newsletters updatthe celebration of the 400th anniversary of Dutch VOC captain Dirk ing you on Duyfken happenings; Participate in the future of Hartog’s landing at Dirk Hartog Island off Shark Bay on the WA coast. Duyfken as a voting member; Support the activities of Duyfken "The anniversary provides a real opportunity for Australians to learn more about the Dirk Hartog story and our early maritime as a volunteer. For more information click here.

11

WEDDINGS WHY BRIDES WEAR WHITE MEGAN ZIERCH

W

earing white on your wedding day is usual in Western culture, signifiying purity and innocence, but this is actually a relatively moderninterpretation, dating back to around the mid-19th century.

For most of history, brides rarely purchased a dress specifically for their wedding day. The bride would typically wear her finest dress to the ceremony, even if it was a dark color.

In fact, many brides wore black during this time. Only a few colours were avoided, such as green, which was then considered unlucky.

Blue was a popular choice as it represented purity, piety and a connection to the Virgin Mary, plus the dark colour easily hid stains and imperfections and could be worn again.

In many countries, red was also out of question because it was associated with prostitution.

Weddings were, and still are, unions of not only the bride and groom, but the two parties’ families as well.

In earlier centuries, a marriage also commonly involved the union of businesses or even countries.

It was important for the brides to cast their families in the most favorable light, so their attire had to best reflect their social status.

Thus, brides from privileged backgrounds wore expensive jewels and dresses that were at the height of fashion and made of the most extravagant materials.

Princess Philippa of England was the first recorded princess to have worn a white gown to her wedding ceremony in 1406.

Mary Queen of Scots was the first high profile bride to have worn a white wedding dress in 1559.

At the time, a white dress was a clear indication of her social standing because white fabric is difficult to bleach and maintain, unlikely be worn again.

At the time, white was the colour for mourning in France but the queen insisted on it because it was her favorite colour.

12

Lady’s Book, one of the first women’s magazines in America, declared that white was the most fitting hue for a bride.

From then on, brides interested in showing off their wealth and social rank made sure to wear white dresses made from excessive amounts of fabric (made that much easier following the sewing innovations brought forth by the Industrial Revolution).

Since white was a hard colour to obtain and preserve, only wealthier women could afford such a dress.

The white wedding dress was given a huge impetus in 1853 with the wedding of the fashion icon Countess María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick to the Emperor of France Napoleon III.

The white-dress trend dropped off during the Great Depression, when times were hard and 1840 - Queen Victoria’s wedding gown it was difficult for most people to spend white with orange blossom money on a gown they would never Contrary to popular belief, Queen Victoria wear again. was not the first to wear white on her wedding, Instead, brides returned to the tradition of however her 1840 marriage to her cousin Prince wearing their best outfit, which was usually a Albert is considered the seminal white-wearing darker colour instead of white. occasion.

Following an economic boom in the second Around the time of her reign, the nobility often half of the 20th century, white became a popular wore white gowns interwoven with silver and gold colour once more, given impetus by the wedding of to give a metallic effect.

Grace Kelly in 1956 to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.

Dripping with orange blossoms, Victoria’s In Chinese, Indian, and other Eastern cultures, stunning white dress inspired thousands of brides often wear red or a white-red combination, common folk to follow suit. as the colour red symbolizes auspiciousness and Since her wedding photos were one of the first good luck. to be widely circulated among the public, many In Japanese weddings, brides often don multiple brides in Europe were influenced by this fashion colourful dresses throughout the ceremony and the choice. following festivities.

Within a decade after the wedding, Godey’s These days, brides can choose from millions of

WEDDINGS

1937 - Wallis S Blue as it wasimpson’s wedding suit. her third mar riage.

1853 - Empress Eugie’swedding dress as painted by Winterhalter

colours, styles and fabrics for their walk down the aisle.

While shape and style vary drastically from bride to bride, traditional white and light-coloured dresses remain the most popular, as many today view white not so much as a symbol of wealth but rather one of purity and virtue.

Unlike the many trends and traditions tied to wedding gowns, for most of history, the groom’s only requirement has been to dress in a way that matches the bride’s gown. Isn’t he lucky!

1867 - The ill-fated Empress Elizabeth of Austria (Photograph by Emil Rabending)

1956 - Her

Serene Hig

hn e

elly, Prince ss, Grace K

ss Consort

of Monaco 13

Evening

Gowns… Hire Or Buy?

STYLED BY KIRSTY www.shopandstylespecialists.com

T

he big fashion events in Perth are rolling

14

around right now. From StyleAid to Telstra Perth Fashion Festival and every Spring/Summer launch in between, the question on every girl’s lips is – what am I going to wear?

Evening gowns fall into that interesting category of things that cost the most and get used the least. For some reason, many of us chicks just can’t seem to bri ng ourselves to weari ng a statement gown more than once.

Why is that, and what drives it anyway? And even if we’re ok recycling gowns like we’ve seen the beautiful Kate Middleton do so well, are there truly going to be enough occasions to get our value for money?

Is owning a precious gown an investment? Is it worth every dollar if it’s something that will last decades instead of days? Have we lost the ability to create an investment wardrobe due to the thrill of purchasing cheap, unsustainable fast fashion?

I asked two of Perth’s local designers how hire versus buy works within their businesses.

Nita Villamar -­‐ owner and designer for Villamar Couture -­‐ includes ‘for hire’ gowns in her stunning collections. Ms. Villamar said, ‘I love creating artistic pieces and would love every woman to have access to them. So I offer hire pieces for that reason.’

Nita says that couture gowns are not only clothes but a form of artwork, a piece of craftsmanship.

Villamar believes that the worth of a gown should reflect how it makes you feel when you wear it, not how many dollars it cost.

Emerging graduate designer Suzana Paravac of Intima Collective completed the label’s first collection, Pompeii, last year. Filled with bright, flowing silks the collection is just begging to walk the red carpet.

Hiring garments can be a wise business stream for emerging designers who have not yet made the leap from creating custom pieces to off shore manufacturing capabilities. It can provide much needed exposure and some fluid income with little continuous outlay.

Paravac’s goal is to provide her clients with that five star feeling by giving them access to incredible garments in a luxurious and affordable way.

“Couture gowns are not only clothes but a form of artwork, a piece of craftsmanship.”

Nita Villamar, Villamar Couture

Clockwise from top left.

Villamar Couture, models Chloe Bottomley and Hannah Cavanagh, Photography Fifi Robinson Photography, MUA Christina Rodio.

Villamar Couture, Models Charlotte Constance-­‐Laurence, Jessica Taylor, Photographer Fifi Robinson Photography, MUA Christina Rodio.

Intima Collective, Jess Epps Viviens Model Management, Photographer John Koh. Intima Collective, Paige Atkinson Viviens Model Management, Photographer John Koh. Intima Collective, Miquela Vos Viviens Model Management, Photographer Aaron McPolin.

So we know it’s good for the designers, but is it good for us?

If you’re happy to pick up an ‘off the rack’ frock every time you have a new event, then go right ahead. Enjoy yourself.

If you’ve dreamed of wearing a couture, one off garment made from exquisite material and

$1,000 a dress is out of your range, then hiring designer gowns is definitely an option for you!

There are plenty of hire stores with the big labels, but you know me, I say shop local.

Some of my favourites are Jonté Designs, Villamar Couture and Intima Collective.

Swan Magazine 15

ARTS MAC IN AUGUST

T

o stave off the chilly winter days, MAC has been keeping busy with Machines & Makers and all things sewing - how many people have an old sewing machine tucked away somewhere?

Seems like many people share a love of these machines.

What a delight it has been to see our broader community come together over such a fascinating yet simple machine - and it's not over yet!

If you haven't tried your hand on a treadle you have until Sunday 14 August to come on in.

You can also hear how Machines & Makers has inspired some of the Gallery 1 artists in a talk presented by Artsource on the final day of the show. More details below.

We have also had fun learning the intricacies of hanging in another Gallery through our developing partnership with City of Swan.

The Gallery in Ellenbrook is currently showcasing the diverse art forms created through our Make Your Mark workshops. Animation, wearable art, ceramics, jewellery, printmaking, painting, felting, stitching - the list of techniques is endless.

If you have been thinking of joining one of these workshops, go out and have a look at the possibilities before 14 August.

From 19 August we have two completely different but equally fascinating exhibition here on home turf - colourist Sarah Thornton-Smith shares her meticulous conversations in colour through paper, gouache - and a very sharp cutter!

Left To My Own Devices is Sarah's first solo exhibition and we are thrilled to be hosting her works.

Sarah's exhibition is complemented by hundreds of equally colourful designs for this year's Mundaring Environmental Art Project where Eastern Region Primary students investigate this year's theme, Protecting Our Waterways.

There is plenty on at MAC to chase off the Winter blues - we hope to see you soon!

EXHIBITIONS Gallery 1 - Machines And Makers Until 14 August Curated by Jude Van Der Merwe Mundaring celebrates our regions sewing history with leading contemporary artists responding to the political, social and economic impacts of the invention and use of the domestic

CLARE STROUD sewing machine (1850’s -1980’s). Featuring works

by Paul Caporn, Mikaela Castledine, Geoffrey Drake Brockman, Stuart Elliott, Eva Fernandez, Judith Forrest, Coral Lowry, Angela McHarrie, Tee Ken Ng, Nalda Searles, Linda van der Merwe and Susie Vickery.

Gallery 2 - Mundaring Environmental Art Project 19 August - 25 September Hundreds of primary school students from across the eastern region of Perth immerse themselves in a world of environmental discovery and problem-solving to come up with designs Gallery 2 - A Needle Pulling Thread in response to this year's theme, Protecting Our Until 14 August Waterways.

With a cornucopia of stitched objects The 2016 Mundaring Environmental Art assembled in a shrine to the sewing machine, A banners will be displayed in the Mundaring town Needle Pulling Thread is an exhibition of works centre for the coming year. created by community groups, high school and primary school students working with textile artist Sarah Toohey.

They tell stories of personal connections to the sewing machine and local history through stitch, fabric and embellishment.

The Gallery, Ellenbrook - Make Your Mark 30 July – 14 August 2016 Curated by Catherine Czerw The Mundaring Arts Centre invites you to join us in celebrating the diverse artforms created during the Make Your Mark workshops held in the City of Swan from Oct 2015 – July 2016. The Gallery, Ellenbrook comes alive with the creative One of the Banner designs from 2012 outcomes by hundreds of people from 5 to 75 MEAP by then Year 7 student, Verily Cartyears who took part in this visual arts series. er-Taylor from Mt Helena Primary School

Gallery 1 - Left To My Own Devices 19 August - 25 September Sarah Thornton-Smith presents a survey through constructions in paper, soft wood and metal foils rendered in gouache which explore conversations in colour. This is her first solo exhibition.

Image: Sarah Thornton-Smith, Constructions in Pink and Green (detail)

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS ARTSOURCE ARTISTS TALKS: MACHINES & MAKERS Sunday. 14th August from 1pm - 2.30pm at the Mundaring Arts Centre In partnership with MAC, Artsource presents talks from four of the Machines & Makers artists, Geoffrey Drake-Brockman, Coral Lowry, Angela McHarrie and Tee Ken Ng, who will discuss their arts practice and their involvement in Machines & Makers.

Suitable for 16 years and over. Bookings through Artsource.

Cost $11.45 (Free for Artsource Members) STORIES OF SEWING IN WA Saturday, 20th August from 2pm - 3pm at Mundaring Lesser Hall Textile artist Wendy Lugg presents this talk from the State Library of WA's Mapping Memory

MUNDARING ARTS CENTRE Come in to discover the latest exhibitions and a wide range of locally made, hand crafted pieces, many of which are exclusive to the Mundaring Arts Centre Viewing Hours

10am - 5pm Tues – Fri 11am - 3pm Sat & Sun Closed Mon & P/Holidays + 25 Dec-13 Feb

7190 Great Eastern Highway (corner Nichol Street) Mundaring WA 6073 | T: +61 8 9295 3991 www.mundaringartscentre.com.au

16

ARTS Project. Free entry. For enquiries contact ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES Mundaring & Hills Historical Society 9295 0540 NAVA GRANTS or mhhs@iinet.net.au NAVA has many grants available for artists including the Sainsbury Sculpture Grant for emerging Australian artists and groups working in sculpture and/or installation with a total of $8,000 to be divided between four successful applicants.

Applications close 17th September 2016.

CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA Plus1 is back! Plus1 provides matched funding for fundraising campaigns run by small to medium arts organisations. Successful recipients will share in $1.2 million in funding, capped at $50,000 per project. Applicants must be able to run their campaigns between 14 October 2016 and 19 May 2017. Applications close 26 August at 5pm EST.

NORTHAM ART PRIZE This is Northam’s premier annual arts event.

Entries for the individual Agricultural Art Award must be paintings, otherwise all media will be eligible for prizes. Total pool value $6,000.

Entries close Monday 15th August 2016. All details can be found on the entry form or email avas1@ wn.com.au

YORK ARTS & CRAFTS AWARDS The York Society Art & Craft Awards will be held this year October 8-16 with entries closing on September 14. The (optional) theme for this year is Time. Queries: arts.yorksociety@westnet.com. au or download the entry form from their website.

Wendy Lugg

EVERY ARTIST NEEDS A KICK-START MAUREEN DE LA HARPE

‘I

think everyone needs a kick-start in the music business, and in the arts in general. I feel extremely fortunate that I had that start.’ - the heartfelt words of Tim Van Der Kuil, guitarist and now also musical director with singer-songwriter Adele.

Tim recently accopanied Adele at the Glastonbury Festival, and a couple of weeks earlier he was on stage with the top-selling artist for 2015 at an open-air performance in Verona before an audience of 25,000. Seldom in the same place for long, he is currently touring with Adele in the US and Canada.

Formerly of Darlington, Tim is one of more than sixty artists whose careers have been given a vital kick-start thanks to the arts scholarships awards presented each year since 1988 by the Mundaring Bicentennial Scholarship Trust.

Are you a young artist in the Shire of Mundaring who would benefit from financial

assistance for a particular arts project? If so, waste no time in putting together your application for the Robert Juniper Award for the Arts.

The deadline for the award, of up to $9000, is September 30. Your project can be in music, film, performing or visual arts, literature, or any other branch of the arts. The award will be presented in January 2017, and if you’re a visual artist you will also be eligible for the Bob and Trish Juniper Art Prize of $1,000.

The age limit is thirty-five, and you need to have a strong connection with the Shire of Mundaring, through residence, work or education.

To download application forms, visit the Trust website: www.mundaringarts.org, or contact Trust Secretary Chris Durrant (phone 9299 6093).

Forms and explanatory booklets are also available at the Greenmount and Mundaring Libraries, the Mundaring Shire Offices and local schools.

Money for the main award is raised through fund-raising events supplemented by a generous contribution from the Shire of Mundaring.

INTERNATIONAL PERTH ECO FASHION WEEK 19 - 26 NOVEMBER 2016 International Perth Eco Fashion Week features a stunning showcase of eco fashion by national and international designers, including runway shows; design and textile art exhibitions; pop up shops; workshops; and seminars to promote sustainability in the way we make and wear our clothes.

Application information can be found here or visit www.perthecofashionweek.com.au or email your details to email@perthecofashionweek.com. au.

Applications close 15 September 2016.

DARLINGTON ARTS FESTIVAL 5 & 6 NOVEMBER 2016 The Darlington Arts Festival, now in its 53rd year of high quality exhibitions, invites artists to contribute to the Open Exhibition or The Juniper Landscape Art Prize (worth $10,000).

Entries close on 30th September 2016 and detailed information is available from the website

Tim van der Kuil 17

GARDENING SETTING UP A FROG POND

I

f you want to expel some boredom, setting up a frog pond is a great weekend project that will allow your creativity to shine.

You don’t necessary need a massive preformed pond to get you started. If you have an old kid’s swimming pool or any kind of UV resistant tub sitting around that can hold water, you can use that as a pond.

Your local pond or watergarden specialist shop will have a range of small pre-formed ponds available to get you started, otherwise the cheapest way is the standard PVC liner, which will allow you to create your own shape and size.

When it comes to building any kind of pond, it’s all about location, location, location.

You don’t want to have it out in the open, where it’s going to get sun twenty four seven.

Not only do you want it to be protected from the growth of our long time nemeses, Algae, but you will want it somewhere where frogs can get some shade.

If you’re placing it under a tree you have to make sure the leaves aren’t going to be falling in the pond otherwise you may have problems with sludge build-up.

Take note that if you’re using a tub found at home you will have to be careful of the material because the tree roots will naturally search for water and may break through.

You can all learn from my mistake – don’t build the pond right outside your bedroom window.

Frogs are notorious for partying all hours of the night and from then on you will be constantly trying to think of ways to deter them to that nicer pond you built for them right at the back that they insist on not moving to.

To attract frogs you want to have plants in and around the pond.

Around the pond you can use things such as bark, logs, rocks or even aquarium ornaments or any items that the frogs can use to hide under to keep cool during the hotter days, as well as to keep safe from any predators.

Rushes, reeds and sedges are a good plant for inside the pond, as well as milfoil or nardoo. The

18

low growing plants, such as milfoil and nardoo provide good habitat for frogs, whereas the rushes, such as Juncus are good for helping with the filtration of the pond and will provide shade.

Azolla is a free floating plant that is good for providing shade and nutrients. It’s a good food source of food for the tadpoles and will provide good cover. It can get a bit carried away through, but it’s easily scooped out and you can use it as mulch in your garden.

When filling the pond up you want to make sure to use a chlorine neutraliser, as the frogs are sensitive to chemicals which will strip them of their protective slime coating and make them prone to getting diseases.

Mosquitoes will become your foe when it comes to any kind of water garden.

We have two fish available that are both frog friendly and don’t get very large. Pygmy Perch are native to Western Australia. These guys are very good at hiding, so don’t panic if you can’t find them - it doesn’t mean you’ve killed them.

White Cloud Mountain Minnows are also a good little fish to have in the pond, although these guys aren’t native to Australia.

But if you’re wanting a fish that comes to the top a lot more then these are your guys, they come in a bright golden colour or a darker silver.

Both these guys are great if you don’t want to have to worry about feeding and looking after them. They will have plenty to eat in the pond.

Solar Pumps are available to provide fish with that needed oxygen during the summer months and will also help to keep the pond that little bit cleaner.

If you want to get a little fancier with your savvy frog pond you can install some lighting so you have a beautiful display on those nights sitting outside with dinner. You can get warm white lights that will keep it more natural and will also help to attract bugs for the frogs.

Courtesy of The Pond Shop Useful websites: frogs.org.au/frogwatch/bitg.html www.thepondshop.com.au www.sgaonline.org.au/frog-ponds/

LEISURE DARLINGTON ARTS FESTIVAL

C

CHRIS PEMBERTON

ontinuing in the Darlington Arts Festival’s proud tradition of art excellence, we gratefully acknowledge Trish Juniper’s wonderful support in announcing The Robert Juniper Landscape Art Prize entries are now open.

The $10,000 prize puts it in the major league for the WA arts community and we are looking forward to seeing the high quality entries it will attract.

Entry in formation is on the website.

We are delighted that Ben Joel, who is so well known as an artist and academic, is this year’s Patron. He is a great supporter of the festival and keen to help us raise its profile.

Also on the art side, the Retrospective Artist for 2016 is Hovea artist Hans Arkeveld. Working across a range of media, Hans draws, paints and sculpts in bronze, wood, wire, wax and any object open for the Open Art and Youth Art Exhibitions, he can re-purpose to meet his needs.

2016 Registrations now open. Entries are for performers and stall holders.

The website darlingtonartsfestival.org is the best place to check these out and to catch up with news of other activities and events.

Artists are encouraged to consider this year’s theme ‘A Sense of Community’ in their submissions. With so many crises in the world and the struggle to maintain structure and order, our community no matter how we define it, becomes ever more a source of security and reassurance.

Places for the ever popular stalls are filling

fast however we are always eager to showcase local art, craft and produce. If you are interested then contact the Stalls Coordinator at stalls@ darlingtonartsfestival.org or check the website for more information.

Regular festival-goers will be well aware of the popularity of Marloo Theatre’s Devonshire Teas and pleased to know they will return to the hall verandah this year.

After all, it’s a festival institution.

Concluded from page 2...

“With karate having recently been added to the list of events for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, this is a very exciting time for the WA Karate Federation”, remarked Sensei Bob, a senior kata coach for the West Australian team.

“Phillip, Tom and Theo always train very diligently and with great focus. Preparing for and competing in events like this has helped many students improve immensely over the years. “ I’m proud to have Phillip as a student, and know he will do his very best.”

Sensei Bob Allen is the WA head of Goju Ryu Australia. He has been a referee at the state and national level for twenty-one years, and is one of the WA Karate Federation’s senior kata coaches.

Sensei Bob teaches students of all ages at his Midland and Mt Helena dojos.

(L-R) Phillip Salmon, Tom Pettit, WA Team Coach and Shobukan karate instructor Michael Panossian, Theo Prinsloo

Phillip Salmon 19

DINING OUT

The Thoughts of an Ageing, Balding Foodie

NOOR MAHAL

DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

I

have spoken elsewhere (and often) about my love of curry.

Growing up, as I did, in Natal, South Africa (now Kwa-Zulu-Natal), curry was a very popular dish, strongly influenced by the Indians and Malays indentured into Natal to work the sugar cane fields.

Durban’s great native dish, for example, is the Bunny Chow, half a loaf of white bread with the soft bit scooped out, filled with hot mutton curry and with the soft bit rammed back in - and delicious as a take-away dish it is.

Quarter loaf Bunny Chow

Starting with mild curries suited to a young palate and moving to the hotter, more flavoured ones as the taste buds died off as I got older, curry has been a perennial

20

favourite. And I am not the only one - just Ellenbrook alone has enough curry lovers to support at least four curry restaurants that I know about for sure.

Recently, it was the dark and stormy night of fiction and so we decided to order take-away and stay in.

Having tried all the others and found them good, we ventured further into unknown territory and ordered from Noor Mahal, Main Street, in Ellenbrook.

The restaurant is quite new, just over a year and takingthe place of an earlier curry restaurant,Noor Mahal offers dine-in, take away and for orders over $30, home delivery.

For students the Noor Mahal is a palace in the Punjab.

Mahal means ‘palace’ in the sense of ‘resting place’ or even ‘tomb’, as in the Taj Mahal.

The Noor Mahal is beautiful, built in the late 19th century in Italian neo-classical style.

As a name for that curry house it is particularly apposite as they serve simply beautiful curries.

The Noor Mahal offers curry buffets on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights for $25 a head. It consists of eight curries, four entrees, two kinds of naan bread and lots of accompaniments.

I have to go back and try that, but this was a cold, wet Monday, so we ordered off the net’s menu - which is substantial, divided by protein kinds or vegetable and breads.

We went for the familar and comfortable Lamb Korma, ($16.50); Mango Chicken($16.50) and Jeela Aloo ($13.90) plus some Naan ($3), Garlic Naan ($3.50) and two serves of Basmati Rice ($3.50 each).

Each curry can be ordered as mild, medium and hot.

I ordered it by phone, collected it half an hour later from a charming, helpful woman and within not many minutes after that we had plates of steaming, fragrant rice and aromatic curry before us togerher with complimentary papadums.

Let me say at once that the food was delicious, rich, at medium strength, and savoury without being too chilli hot,which to my way of thinking deadens the taste rather than enhances.

Every single part of the meal was good, the naan, the rice, the meat curries but for me the absolute knockout was the Jeela Aloo - potatoes cooked with cumin seeds and cream, garnished with fresh coriander.

The dish was superb. It’s a simple dish and easy to make, although to get it to this degree of perfection is seldom achieved.

It is the perfect accompaniment to almost any curry, delicate, flavourful and balanced to a degree.

To return to the menu I’m regreting not

trying the entrées - samosas, onion bhajis, Delhi Chaat, spring rolls, the enticingly named A m e r i c a n chicken lolly pops, and a whole host of other delicious treats, most available as main course sizes as well as entrée.

Proteins include chicken, lamb, beef, seafood as well as vegetarian. With some rather delightful ‘Australian Specials’. Crocodile Masala, for example (‘One crocodile curry and make it snappy’) or Goat Curry, Scallop Madras and Kangaroo Tikka Masala all at $23.50.

Noor Mahal obviously has a Tandoor oven

as there is a range of Tandoori foods as well as the wide selection of rices - Basmati, of course, Kashmiri (with dried fruits), Mushroom rice, and the Briyani range - rices simmered with chicken and mace (Murg) or lamb, prawn or vegetables.

Each of these is a meal on its own.

There are dishes on Noor Mahal’s menu with which I am not familiar but expect to be in the near future - Malai Kotta ($13.90) for example, dumplings of potato, cauliflower and cheese simmered in creamy gravy - now, doesn’t that sound good?

Very Highly Recommended Indeed.

CHEF EXPLORER

750 FRIED EGGS, PLEASE! BRENDAN MURPHY

A

t present I teach cookery at a Professional College in the City and the job often makes me think of my own college days thirty years ago in Britain.

I told this tale recently to my students when I was teaching them the rather mundane tasks of cooking eggs in a variety of ways.

I studied to be a Chef in Manchester, but during the holidays I worked around the country and in particular for a whole summer season at a large very traditional British resort in Devon called ‘Pontins’. We had to feed a thousand people a day so it was a real learning curve into commercial cookery!

Devon is a beautiful spot, especially around Torquay, a town where the infamous Basil Fawlty was created!

And believe me there were a few Basil Fawlty

characters working at this resort who perhaps should have appeared in the nightly ‘Cabaret’ rather than strut around the restaurant yelling at the many waitpersons running around serving so many guests!

The Head Chef was also a character, a local bloke with a huge fat belly who had the rather disturbing habit of waiting behind the kitchen door every morning observing all us cooks file in.

If you were late, or worse, looking hung-over, you were immediately placed on the fried eggs section, and that meant frying 750 of them every morning!

“Oh No Chef!” One would beg to no avail.

Invariably, (having the power of youth on my side at the time), it was my mad Geordie mate and I who more often than not had spent too long sampling the night life yet again, who were punished! I do like fried eggs, but 750 combined

with a fragile stomach is not a good start to the day!

Being in the south of England we used to drink a lot of Cider, which was mainly brewed in the nearby county of Somerset. The local ‘Scrumpy’ cider was the strongest, as many an American tourist found to their cost, as they fell off a bar stool or two around the town!

The Head Chef, (with his belly suggesting he had obviously sunk a few in his time too) said the cider was the best in the world and he proved this by making the best Cider sauce with Pork chops I have ever tasted.

Have a go yourself, but please, don’t serve it with fried eggs!

DEVONSHIRE PORK WITH CIDER INGREDIENTS 50g clarified butter 500g Pork Chops or steak 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 300ml dry cider 150ml chicken or pork stock 1 crisp Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 100ml whipping cream Salt and pepper METHOD 1 Heat the butter in a large frying pan, then brown the pork chops and transfer the pork to a bowl.

2 Add the onions to the pan, brown lightly, then stir in the lemon rind, cider and stock and simmer for about 2 minutes.

3 Return the pork to the pan and add the apples.

Cook gently for a further 10 minutes.

4 Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork, onions and apples to a warmed serving dish.

Cover and keep warm.

5 Stir the parsley and cream into the pan and allow to simmer to thicken (reduce) the sauce slightly, then season.

6 Pour the sauce over the pork and serve with cabbage and Roast Potatoes.

21

FOOD TRIVIA R The difference between apple juice and apple cider is that apple juice is the juice of the fruit only, and apple cider is the whole apple-skins, seeds, and all- which gives it the fuller body and deeper color. The juice is pasteurized and the cider is not.

R The ice cream soda was invented in 1874

by Robert Green. He was serving a mixture of syrup, sweet cream and carbonated water at a celebration in Philadelphia. He ran out of cream and substituted ice cream.

R The world’s costliest coffee, at $130 for 500g, is called Kopi Luwak. It is in the droppings of a type of marsupial that eats only the very best coffee beans. Plantation workers track them and scoop their precious poop.

R The sandwich is named for the Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-92), for whom sandwiches were made so that he could stay at the gambling table without interruptions for meals.

R The white part of an egg is the albumen.

R The world’s first chocolate candy was produced in 1828 by Dutch chocolate-maker Conrad J. Van Houten. He pressed the fat from roasted cacao beans to produce cocoa butter, to which he added cocoa powder and sugar.

R The largest item on any menu in the world is probably the roast camel, sometimes served at Bedouin wedding feasts. The camel is stuffed with a sheep’s carcass, which is stuffed with chickens, which are stuffed with fish, which are stuffed with eggs.

R The world’s deadliest mushroom is the Amanita phalloides, the death cap. The five R The largest living organism ever found is a different poisons contained by the mushroom honey mushroom, Armillaria ostoyae. It covers cause diarrhea and vomiting within six to twelve 3.4 square miles of land in the Blue Mountains of hours of ingestion. This is followed by damage to eastern Oregon, and it’s still growing. the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system and, in the majority of cases, coma and death.

R The vintage date on a bottle of wine indicates R The pound cake got its name from the pound the year the grapes were picked, not the year of of butter it contained.

R To determine the percentage of alcohol in a bottling. bottle of liquor divide the proof by two.

DOUGLAS’ WINERIES AND DINERIES

I cook in your kitchen

I will prepare seasonal, wholesome, personalised meals from scratch in your own kitchen for around $10 per serve

0449 002 037

www.icookinyourlitchen.com.au www.facebook.com/nofussytastymeals/

22

FOOD I COOK IN YOUR KITCHEN DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

Take some of the stress out of your life oes your heart sink at the thought of returning home to a cold, dark house only to have to cook?

Do you think that if you eat just one more pizza you'll start to feel like an olive? Perhaps you think that if you keep eating take-away you'll start to look like Bibendum - the Michelin Man. Or perhaps your boss is coming to dinner - or, worse, your mother-inlaw and you're pretty sure warmed up left-over spag bol isn't going to cut it.

Why doesn't someone, you say as you cut your thumb opening a can of baked beans, come round and cook for us and then disappear leaving delicious meals?

Good news, people, let me introduce Angela who runs a business called I Cook in Your Kitchen.

Her mission statement is: 'I will prepare seasonal, wholesome, personalised meals from scratch in your own kitchen for around $10 per serve.'

This is how it works.

Angela, a professional cook of many years' experience comes to your home and prepares a meal for you and your family or guests from either supplied ingredients or pre-agreed ingredients.

There is a minimum charge for 2.5 hours work ($125), which would usually make for two courses for six

D

people - a cost of around $10 a cover.

Popular two course combos can be, for example, Beef Lasagne and Cottage Pie; Beef Curry and Vegetable Curry, plus rice, pappadoms and raita; Chicken and mushroom Pie and Beef Stroganoff or have a glance over the Menu Suggestions on her website.

She comes to your home, cooks a delicious meal, cleans up, does the dishes and leaves the kitchen spotless - what could be better?

Angela trained in the UK and has worked in the industry in a variety of challenging, enjoyable and interesting roles- few more so than this.

23

ENTERTAINMENT LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS AT HELENA COLLEGE DOUGLAS SUTHER;AND-BRUCE

W

hat happens when Helena College meets a dangerous new plant?

It's 1960's America and in downtown Los Angeles, the human race is about to encounter a threat to its very existence.

When socially awkward flower shop worker, Seymour, finds a strange new plant it looks like a way to bring in new business. But Seymour's new plant grows into a gigantic and demanding man-eater that constantly wants human flesh and blood.

It’s a small flower shop that has turned into a Little Shop of Horrors - with songs. In a collaboration between the music and drama departments at Helena College, students and staff will bring this rock musical to life for hills audiences this August.

Writer Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken created the Little Shop of Horrors in 1982, based on a low-budget horror film of the same name from 1960.

Rehearsals began in early May, under the direction of Helena's new drama teacher Thea O'Keeffe: 'The scenography is currently what is occupying most of my imagination; I am personally looking forward to dressing the cast in a unusual mix of business people and the downtrodden.'

Music teachers, Kirsten Watters and Simon Grayston, will direct the College music students in tackling the intricate music of Alan Menken. Both cast and musical ensemble students have been busy rehearsing several times a week, throwing their energy, enthusiasm and dedication into meeting a high

24

standard of musical performance.

The cast and chorus are enjoying rehearsing catchy tunes from a variety of genres that turn into 'ear-worms', staying with them for days on end.

Little Shop of Horrors will open at the Helena College Performing Arts Centre at 7pm on Thursday, 25 August and run to the 28th August.

Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for students/concession, and are available from the Trybooking website.

Book early, seats are limited.

ENTERTAINMENT THE DECADENT AND DEPRAVED DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

Y

ears ago, when I was young, we all went to the movies, which we called 'the pictures' on a Saturday afternoon and if you watched us all leave you'd know what kind of movie we'd seen.

If we were all slouching and talking out the side of our mouths it had been something with Humphrey Bogart, but if we were strutting and swaggering it must have

been a Western, probably starring John 'The Duke' Wayne.

Our skinny twelve year old bodies were, in our mind's eyes, six foot four and Texas tough as we drawled 'Hey, you in the jail', imaginary sixshooter worn high on the right hip.

Mind you, in just a few years we added squinched eyes and tried to be Clint Eastwood.

My point is that those movies with their rough morality had a huge impact on our impressionable little minds. We desperately wanted to be in them - as the lumbering Duke, the anxious Gary Cooper or the weasely Lee Van Cleef.

Now we have the chance, all of us, to be part of a real actual Western movie. Prince-Wright Productions, the brain child of Jordon PrinceWright, and the producers of the much-acclaimed and much-awarded Red Dirt; The Toy Maker; Not Their Boots and La Chienne Francaise.

He and his not-for-profit team of directors, writers and producers have a new project - The Decadent and Depraved, a Western set here in the Old West.

The lead actor, Logie-nominated Perth actor Ben Mortley (McLeod's Daughters) says of the venture: "It tells a violent revenge story set in the harshest of outback environments. It tackles some of the harsh realities that faced white settlers, delves into ideas of good and evil, and also has some fascinating Indigenous content".

Written by Swedish auteur Axel Karlsson who has spent a good deal of time researching the Western Australia of 1880 treading a fine line between historical accuracy and imaginative, fictional narrative.

Some details: the cast includes such

luminaries as Michael Muntz, Steve Turner, Dean McAskil, Mitchell Page, Michael McCall, Clarence Ryan, Isabella Jacqueline and Noel O'Neill.

The Producer/Executive Producer/Director is Jordon Prince-Wright, who at only nineteen, has already carved a substantial reputation.

The project is vast, with vast possibilities and potential, all it needs is funding which PrinceWright Productions is throwing

others have offered support in kind.

The $20,000 will be used for catering, properties, set building, wardrobe, make-up and hair, special effects and armoury, camera and equipment hire and so on.

You may be old enough to remember that Paul Hogan did something similar in those precrowdsourcing days to finance Crocodile Dundee.

And that turned out pretty well.

I'm not making comparisons, of course, but who knows? Donations to this excellent project start as low as $5 and the details may be found here on their website: http://www.princewrightproductions.com/

open to you and me.

The budget is set at a very ma na geable $20,000. This doesn't seem like a lot, and in terms of filmmaking costs it's not.

The shires of Yalgoo and Leonora have provided invaluable support, the traditional owners have given their blessing and permission to film on the land and many

25

COMMUNITY THEATRE REVIEWS various guest who have died in their mansion.

A WORK OF GENIUS THEATRE WITH GORDON There is a loud knocking on the front

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.

- Helen K eller

PREPARE TO MEET THY TOMB

P

repare to Meet Thy Tomb is a comedy-mystery thriller from Norman Robbins. The third in the trilogy of the ‘Tomb Family’, three plays about the ‘family that plays together, slays together’.

Norman was a newspaper reporter in Yorkshire, who became an amateur actor. This led to his taking up play writing around 1950, with this play being published in 2010.

The two-and-a-half-hour shows, with an updated script, are being performed by The Garrick Theatre Company, and can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8.00 pm, until 13th August.

The Sunday matinées are on 31st July and 7th August at 2.00 pm.

The set is the oak panelled lounge of the Monument House Hotel in Norfolk. The hotel is under renovation and is soon to re-open as a Health Farm.

On one wall there is a set of patio doors, at the back a massive Gothic-style, Jacobean wooden fireplace, and to the right a door leading to the main passageway and kitchen. There are two settees and a couple of armchairs. In a house like this there had to be a palm in a pot standing on a whatnot.

This most impressive set was created, with a great deal of hard work, by Keith and Heather Abbott. The oil painting of the matriarch was by Carol Koppler. Wendy Goodwin and her backstage crew of Marion West and Karl Cechner had plenty to keep them occupied.

It is a foggy night in February. In Monument House, the family home of the Tombs since 1784, are two of the remaining descendants of the Borgias, quaint Aunt Hecuba (Kerry Goode) and her warped, teenage niece, Drusilla (Hayley Derwort).

They are discussing the good old days, and the

26

door, and local businessman, Sir Beverley (Keith Abbott) bursts in. He is furious that a large financial agreement with a Tomb relative had not been carried out, and he is now in big trouble.

Just as things are getting really nasty, a famous writer, Philippa Collins (Sarah House) who is fed up with driving in the dense fog, arrives with her dippy secretary, Daphne (Heather Abbott) looking for a room. They are convinced they were being followed by another car. Feeling the cold, Sir Beverley’s driver, Anthony (Morgan Hyde) comes into the house for a warm drink, bringing with him a tall stranger he noticed wandering around outside.

This unusual guest turned out to be a TV presenter, Quentin Danesworth (Graham Miles) who seems to know a great deal, perhaps too much, about the house’s history.

As he is talking to Hecuba’s friend, Cecily, from the village (Jenny Trestrail), a honeymoon couple arrive. The husband is fawning Robert (Richard Hadler) and his bimbo wife, with bouncing attributes, Miranda (Kylie Calwell) who is also a TV personality.

With so many undesirable visitors, the name and reputation of the Borgias must be maintained.

Geoff Holt’s lighting and sound design

captured the mood of the spooky venue perfectly; and the lighting and sound effects, that required split second timing, were carried out impeccably

by Sandra Cechner.

The esteemed director, Lynne Devenish, was generous enough to take on two or three actors who had little or no experience, or had been off the stage for a few years.

It always adds extra work, but the whole cast drew together immaculately, giving us a flawless who-dun-it that totally fooled me. However, with their superb stage presence, Kerry Goode and her play nemesis, Keith Abbott were exceptional.

The final curtain call gave a new meaning to ‘curtains for all’ or ‘the actor died on stage’.

A well-presented play, that takes a little bit of concentration, but the very varied and unusual characters brightened up the whole drama. Along with a few directorial innuendos, this comedy gave us numerous laughs.

You will die laughing.

This is a new production, devised by theatre students Taylor Burtenshaw, Eloise Carter, Paris Fields, Tristan McInnes and Frazer Shepherdson; being overseen by Kathryn Osborne, a talented Perth director, producer and theatre maker.

Kathryn is a founding member of the creative group, The Last Great Hunt. Here Katt has shown the theatre students how to get the most from their devised piece.

Katt has also assisted the artistic directors of The Malthouse, Perth Theatre Company and now The Hayman Theatre Company team. This devised piece can be seen at The Hayman Theatre Upstairs, in building 102, Curtin University off Kent Street, Bentley. Park in car park B13 (free).

The set comprises five wooden lockers in a sports changing room. The lockers are multifunctional, acting as storage, changing rooms and even entrances to the room.

A creative set design from Rhiannon Walker and Anna Lindstedt, who, with Bianca Roose and Eloise Carter were also responsible for the costume design.

As the stage lights rise, we find a group of five sports enthusiasts exercising. They are dedicated sports people, passionate and jealous. We hear from each of them, their aims in life. For one it is to see his daughter succeed in the Olympics, so he becomes overprotective and yet brutally demanding.

The others believe in healthy food, focusing the brain, and putting your heart into the ambition. Some are determined, others insecure.

Soon the bitchiness begins, stubbornness abounds; even during Pilates and personal training the completion is fierce. Then there is the unmentioned drug scene and gene testing.

Brett Smith’s sound design was excellent, with plenty of variety and quality production, smoothly operated by Jack Wilson. Karen Cook’s lighting was ingenious and showed the skills involved for perfect use of barn doors and how light can be used to full dramatic effect. Slick lighting operation by Maddy Mullins.

Adeptly directed by Kathryn Osborne, with dramaturg assistance from Declan Brown, the standard of acting was very high, with each cast member capturing his or her numerous characters instantly and convincingly.

There was humour, tears, drama and rehearsed ad-libs. I could not have expected more from the cast, however, the final result was a ‘Grandma’s beige cardigan’.

You could see the immense amount of work, time and love that had been poured into the project, but the result was something that few would want – A beige cardigan. To be blunt I found the show at times puerile, 30% too long, bitty and tedious.

Harsh words, but I think that the final, somewhat ‘polite’ applause backs my opinion.

A shame as the team worked so hard – a captivating, well-constructed script is so important.

‘THE FLICKERS’ WITH JAMES FORTE REVIEWS Our Kind of Traitor

A

thriller for the common man. First a confession.

I am a John le Carré tragic. For people like me, his novels are now modern literary classics.

He first came to the fore in 1963, along with Len Deighton, as a reaction, an antidote to the picture of Britain’s secret service portrayed by James Bond.

When Ian Fleming gave us over-the-top adventure, bravado, sophistication and Q’s gadgets, Le Carré gave us cold-war plots of great complexity and dubious morality involving common people standing around in the rain.

The formula, started with Richard Burton as scruffy Alec Leamas in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, continued with Alec Guinness and then Gary Oldman as George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Sean Connery as a very scruffy Barley Blair in The Russia House and Geoffrey Rush as a particularly seedy expat in The Tailor of Panama.

In 2014 we were given Philip Seymour Hoffman as a German version of Smiley in A Most Wanted Man – incidentally with screenplay by eminent Australian playwright Andrew Bovell.

More on screenplays in a moment.

This year we have Our Kind of Traitor with Ewan McGregor as Perry Meredith, a somewhat scruffy London university lecturer on holiday in Marrakech.

There he becomes involved with Dima, an expert money-launderer for the Russian Mafia.

This is not the sort of outcome you want from your holiday. Much worse is when you contact British Intelligence upon returning to the UK and they start to interrogate you.

Before you know it, you have been recruited as a pawn in the machinations of MI6 - to find out what the Russians are up to.

Continuing with my confession, for me an average John le Carré is still better than an outstanding James Bond or Jason Bourne. And this is an average John le Carré.

The book is fine. It possesses all that I desire – a complex and cerebral plot, full of deceit and treachery carried out by fascinating but flawed characters. Sadly these attributes have not been adapted for the screen. The plot is now linear and the characters simplified to cliché.

The screenplay was written by Hossein Amini for Susanna White to direct. They give us thrilling violence, beautiful scenery (Marrakech, Paris, Berne, the Alps by moonlight) and silly holes in the plot. Holes which did not exist in the novel.

Ultimately you should choose. If you like your thrillers with handsome heroes, ripping pace and explosions then this is for you. If you like them portraying someone who might live next door, standing in the rain, watching for that final clue which will see another small victory for the West then get The Spy Who Came in From the Cold downloaded from your favourite movie supplier.

You won’t regret it.

Our Kind of Traitor opened at Luna Cinemas on July 14th.

Louder than Bombs

F

amiliar Family Theme. The plot is familiar.

An apparently stable and successful family is brought together following some shocking event (usually a death) and secrets start to emerge – tearing them apart.

So what makes this one so superior?

First of all, the writers (Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt) throw in some glamorous occupations for each member.

Isabelle, the Mother, (Isabelle Huppert) is a famous war photographer whose pictures of terrorist bombings appear from time to time on the front page of the New York Times.

Gene, the Father, (Gabriel Byrne) is a teacher and actor in television serials. Older son Jonah (Jesse Eisenberg) has just become a university professor and a father.

Younger son Conrad (Devin Druid) is still at high school but showing promise as a first-class writer.

Secondly, the direction (Trier) and acting can scarcely be faulted and thirdly, the photography (Jakob Ihre) and music score (Ola Fløttum) are impressive.

This is a highly polished film.

Isabelle has finally responded to the pleading of Gene and agreed that her last overseas assignment will really be her last. She is driving home alone, late at night when her car drifts to the wrong side of the road and to a graphically-

depicted head-on collision with a large truck.

Had she fallen asleep at the wheel? Was it suicide? Her journalist colleagues wish to rummage through her photographic material and produce a retrospective evaluation of her career.

Jonah leaves his wife, child and teaching to return home to sort through the material before the outsiders pillage it. He discovers that his younger brother Conrad is not coping and having major communication problems with his father.

If we have a central character, it is Conrad.

Super bright, he knows his father is worried about him and checking up on his meanderings after school.

He is lusting after a cheerleader whom he suspects will never look twice in his direction.

So he spends his time writing and playing online adventure games.

When his father, trying to make contact, has his avatar appear in the game, Conrad kills it with a single sweep of the sword.

So what is wrong with this film? Very little.

However, it would be nice if screenwriters could come up with something new and less predictable when dreaming up guilty secrets for the family.

This is a film in which to immerse yourself. To identify with each character in turn and ponder

the small intricacies of life which explode in our face. Because those twists and turns of fate are louder than bombs.

Louder than Bombs opens at Cinema Paradiso on August 11th.

Maggie’s Plan

L

ove and independence in New York. Thank heavens for romantic comedies that are light enough to relax you after a day at the coalface but have enough bite to generate discussion next morning over coffee.

Maggie Hardin (Greta Gerwig) is thirty, single, with layers of angst, living in New York. Imagine a young female Woody Allen.

She wants a baby – but without going through all that stress and mess of meeting someone and falling in love. Maggie has a plan. Obtain some sperm from an old friend (a Brooklyn pickle merchant) and then go with a Do-It-Yourself pregnancy.

Continued on page 34...

27

EDUCATION

28

GET SOCIAL WITH JAY •

Where is your eye drawn to?

`

Less room for business names Do you have a long business name and OCD? Take a valium.

I am seriously considering thousands of dollars of rebrand because the “S” at the end of Crisp Crow Communications SITS ON THE NEXT LINE. Honestly, I’m having hives. Think about those of us who aren’t concise, Facebook!

FACEBOOK CHANGES JAY-LEE CRISP CROW

D

id you log onto your Facebook business page this month to find it had undergone a makeover?

The changes have been rolling out but the revamped Facebook Business format had some people scrambling to rework their clever graphics (think lots of snazzy arrows pointing to calls to action that are no longer in the right spot!)

Facebook changes happen more regularly than my teenager changes his socks, but this change was noticeable. And rather surprising to many of us.

`

No more hidden stuff behind the ‘More’ tab The old design had the menu bar living under the cover photo, and readers had to find out more about you by clicking through to the hidden, secret places of Facebook.

The new design has all this information expanded on the left hand side. `

Hello, stats!

Stats that used to live in the left hand column now live in the right. #statlove

occurs in the news feed it will be interesting to see how the new look will impact the user behaviour for Facebook pages.

Having gone through several redesigns, this by far is what looks to be the cleanest and most practical for the end user experience.”

Nice one!

What do you think of Facebook’s new business page format?

Like it or did it have you sobbing into your keyboard? Already redesigned your cover page?

Noticed how all your important page buttons now live where we’ve learned to ignore because it used to be all Facebook sponsored advertising?

(Clever, clever chickens, Facebook!)

Have I missed any great or terrible aspects?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Visit my (reworked, arrowless) page here: www.facebook. com/CrispCrowCommunications Now, to go and play with the new Instagram Stories.

So, what’s the low down on Facebook’s new business page format? `

A super clean top photo image No more faffing about with your cover photo to make sure your face or logo doesn’t overlap any of your great content.

Where before you had to consider the placement of your smiling face or business logo (always go the smiling face, is my advice), along with the overlaid business name, CTA and the various buttons, now you have a big, clear space to upload your glory shot.

` W h e r e was the warning?

As one business owner quipped; “Facebook can send `

Your profile photo has shifted off to me daily notifications of what the left hand side posts I should boost but not to Folk who like tricky arrows in their graphics say they’re about to completely now need to point in a different direction. More change my format!” work for you clever graphic designers this month.

Booyah! `

The expert says: I asked Ming Johanson `

It looks a bit like a website (Facebook guru, 6PR In fact, I used the new layout to explain regular and all round “precious real estate” and what should sit where #smartgirl) from OTOTGO, on a Home Page to a copy coaching client. about her opinion of the Treat it the same as you would when planning changes. your website content:

“Given that most • What do you see first? conversation and engagement • Where do you need to concentrate on?

29

COMPUTERS CONTENT IS KING JESS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE B.W.

O

K, we have determined that we absolutely have to have a website to promote our business.

That nice young man and his charming wife have set up a page in beutiful colours and it’s full of Latin text starting ‘Lorem ipsum’. He has now, in the politest possibly way, asked us for ‘copy’.

First though, what is copy and how can I get some?

Copy is the in-the-know term for content. This content can be anything from advertising copy to site copy. If it’s written as a way to talk to a consumer, it’s copy. Therefore, copywriter equals content writer. Simple and easy.

While it may look easy, writing copy has a trick, which we’ll talk about a bit further on.

Your website content is a difficult and semisubjective matter for a business to do, and for that matter do well.

If you write broadly and sweepingly, it means you can miss out on playing to your nice, neat, niche consumer base. However, if you write too too narrowly, new customers will find it difficult to join in.

It’s the reason why big businesses run with in-house publishing services. They (theoretically) know the business practices better than anyone else.

Small businesses, unfortunately, don’t have that want or need, so have to make do in other ways.

Writing content is easy. Writing good content is a lot harder. The trick to good content comes down to writing for your consumer, customer, audience and relating it all back to the product at hand.

Say you run a business that is solely e-commerce based and sells all-natural beauty products that you make at home from scratch.

30

Your content wording would be focused providing them with, so a freelancing copywriter on being personable, being ‘green’ and being may be your best option. ‘youthful’.

There’s some talk about the unreliability of freelance writers and the fact that writers don’t have to subscribe to a code of conduct or call SO WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU HAVE? There are a few options for those who need themselves a copywriter without actually having experience in the matter. content written.

The first is write it yourself. While not always The best option if you’re looking to follow the the best option, this is an option. If you feel copywriter route (which is highly recommended) qualified enough to sell your product to your is to shop around, ask for previous works published or businesses worked for. And make audience, your best option is to try.

You may, however, find yourself stumbling sure they have passion in your project. on a few issues. For the most part, the general Passion makes good content. person is pretty good in the English department, Viably, your last option would be to find a web however writing content for a website requires designer who’s also a proficient copywriter. a different level of proficiency of skills to make The skills of web design are vastly different from those of a copywriter. However, some good content. designers do offer copy writing services.

For one part, this is the ‘effective man’s’ way to create content in a package while also designing or re-designing a site.

This means that only one person would fully understand your product and then sell it to an audience, visually and structurally.

However, web designers that are also themselves good copywriters, are rare birds indeed.

For the most part, a web designer’s training has been design Such as knowing that sentence length needs to be short and punchy based, not content based, and this can make for some semblance of the blind leading the blind. to keep your audience engaged.

Or the fact you may be too close to your Again, this comes down to shopping around, product to sell to your audience. (Now that asking about a designer’s history and asking to see previous works with their content. sounds like an oxymoron.)

For the most part, web content is glanced So those three are your options, do it over, not read. If you cram too much ‘stuff’ yourself, hire a copywriter, or find web designer/ into the content that you’re trying to hook you copywriter combo. audience with, half the audience will not Overall, it’s a big decision and a commitment read the information provided straight up you really want to get right. The content on your to them and the other half will get scared website is the first impression you get to give a off at the sight of all those words and find new customer, and it’s the information they’ll look always back to. someone else.

Secondly, find a copywriter. Here in Do look at the websites of business in roughly Perth, we have some superb copywriters. the same line as yourself and make notes of what Because the work is so limited, copywriters you like, and more importantly, what you don’t go above and beyond to be better and like.

As in all of business knowledge is power. better.

Copywriters are an amazing benefit because they can give you an outside perspective on your product. Also, a seasoned copywriter has the insider knowledge on what an audience wants to read or know about certain products or services.

Copywriters are also in the know when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation and keywords, which means you win in the terms of better searchability!

Copywriters come in two forms, in a company or freelance. For a small business, company copywriters may be somewhat out of reach due to the normally small scope of work that a small business may be

FINANCE POKEMON GO CATCHES INVESTORS STEVE BLIZARD

R

eleased during July in Australia and other selected countries, Pokémon Go is a free-to-play augmented reality smartphone game developed in collaboration by Niantic, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

In the game players use the smartphone’s GPS capacity to locate, capture, battle and train virtual Pokémon creatures, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same realworld location as the player.

My son grew up with Pokémon cards at school, so was instantly hooked on the game when it was launched in Australia.

Intrigued to see how the game works, we drove around Kings Park, an increasingly popular Pokémon Go Perth hotspot.

It was astounding to see hundreds of young adults walking around the gardens with battery backup cords for their phones hanging from their pockets.

A Kings Park Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority spokesman said that while welcoming new visitors, the sheer numbers has meant certain sections of the lawns were now roped-off.

WHY IS POKÉMON GO SO ADDICTIVE? According to Elan Barenholtz Ph.D., associate professor at the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences at Florida Atlantic University, Pokémon Go is hijacking the brain’s reward systems.

The brain contains small groups of neurons that help us experience pleasure and positive reinforcement - the reason drugs are so addictive and why junk food is so popular.

They’re also the reason that over the past month or so some Pokémon Go players have quit their jobs, broken into homes, fallen off cliffs, wandered into restricted army bases and onto mine fields, all while attempting to catch the game’s elusive animated creatures.

While the new augmented reality technology has practical education benefits, Barenholtz says he worries about the impact Pokémon Go and other

augmented reality games can have on the brain by messing with its neurological reward systems.

But unlike old-school Nintendo and X-box games, with Pokémon Go millions of players go in search of physical locations that have been

transformed into virtual landscapes teeming with fictional creatures, so it’s not difficult to see why the potential for stimulation and addiction can be vastly intensified.

“When you’re going out and running around in an environment and you’re getting the video game feedback at the same time, you’re now recruiting a much richer representation, your brain is now sort of falling for it in a much deeper way, even though you know cognitively it’s fake,” Barenholtz explains.

“Just like illusions, you know they’re wrong, but there’s a good chunk of your brain that buys them.

“I think you’re going to buy them more deeply now, so that should make the reward that much more compelling and that much more addictive.”

And while Pokémon Go most likely won’t signal the fall of society any time soon, one thing is certain; never has an online game seen so many people out in the open-air, in an excuse to walk the family dog.

INVESTMENT MARKETS CAUGHT OUT

The global surge in popularity of Pokémon Go has also caught out financial analysts who cover Nintendo for the world’s biggest investment banks.

Emerging from seemingly nowhere, Pokémon Go’s debut took virtually everyone by surprise, due to the little communication emanating from Nintendo.

The Kyoto-based company stood by for more than a fortnight while their new game’s release added $20 billion to its market value.

From the July 6th launch day, Nintendo shares jumped 119 percent over that fortnight.

By July 15, Nintendo had set the record for the most traded equity in a single day (by value of shares, not volume) on Tokyo’s exchange.

Then, in a stunning announcement after 7pm, on Friday in Tokyo, it announced that the earnings impact from the game will be limited.

When the shares traded on the following Monday, they fell the most in twenty-six years, down a sizeable thirty percent.

This is thought to be the first time an augmented reality product has so strongly impacted a public company’s stock, apart from when Facebook acquired VR headset maker Oculus Rift.

A source of frustration for fund managers and investors is the lack of disclosure about Nintendo’s financial interest in Pokémon Go. Nintendo doesn’t own the game outright, as investors may have believed.

Rather, the game was jointly developed by Pokémon Company and Niantic.

Nintendo owns about a third of Pokémon and said it made an investment in Niantic last year, but did not disclose the size of that stake.

Nintendo’s lack of disclosure means analysts are mostly flying blind about a revenue stream that’s potentially worth billions of dollars.

Macquarie Securities’, David Gibson, estimates it to be 13 percent, while in a note to clients, Jefferies Group’s Atul Goyal, projects revenue could be as high as 40 to 50 percent.

Bank of America’s Hiroyasu Eguchi sees the potential for profits to nearly triple during 2017 as Nintendo taps its intellectual property for new products including mobile games with Pokémon Go-like augmented reality.

In his report Eguchi writes: “A game changer, Pokémon Go not only refreshes the company’s suite of well-loved characters in the consumer consciousness, but also clearly indicates the company’s embrace of open platforms, unlocking its IP potential across untapped brand extensions, from movies and theme parks to branded merchandise and in-app advertising.”

Yet while other analysts remain skeptical about the company’s ability to produce hits for smartphones, the Pokémon Go phenomenon remains a hot target for canny investors to hunt down.

Courtesy of Roxburgh Securities 31

BOOKS JUST OUT Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

W

Windforce - A Voyage Into the Blue M A Hill Xlibris AU 9781 5144 4637 9

indforce continues the legendary epic begun in Trackless – A Journey That Follows no Trails. Solo Sailor Gretta Valkyrie Finneson must challenge storms at sea and forces on the land that threaten not only her freedom and her life-long dream to manage a marine refuge on the west coast of Australia, but the future of the pristine bay as well.

Contracted to a corporation and pursued by the ruthless CEO, she is separated from her lover Aidan Randell the artist, whose story, and that of Zelina the musician, was began in Trackless.

The trilogy will be completed with the publication of Sweptback: A Passage Through the Deep, the final episode of the saga.

The book offers a suspenseful plot and powerful and original characters in remote settings of the bush and the ocean. The story depicts aspects of reality beneath the surface, mirroring the relentless battle for survival of the world’s wild places.

It uses poetic and lyrical language in counterpoint with prose, dialogue and sparse depictions of action and reflection with a strong storyline and a gripping suspenseful plot.

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author: Adventurer and author M.A. Hill is a unique voice in Australian literature. She is an award winning artist, poet and playwright.

She was born once upon a time in Tasmania and lives near Fremantle. Guided by the light

Have a book to publish?

R Family History R Non-Fiction R Autobiography R Biography R Fantasy R Fiction R Poetry

Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

A

One of The King’s Men Estelle Everingham Xlibris AU 9781 5144 9681 7

uthor Estelle Everingham wanted to share the unusual story of her son, Cameron, who, though just a young child, lived his short life in amazingly close contact with Jesus and the realm of the supernatural.

This book is a complete, factual, account of Cameron’s short earthly journey which demonstrated his unique connection with the miraculous, heavenly realm in which he could function with complete ease and gladness.

His story is told with authenticity, comical whimsy, enthusiasm, gladness and a sense of pride in his achievements, evenly mixed with trepidation, horror and life-changing sorrow, followed by generous helpings of amazement, shock and awe and finally, real, genuine thankfulness.

“This is a true, unique story that revolves around the lives of very well defined, believable characters,” Everingham says. “Although heartwrenching at times, it is a very uplifting and inspiring read.

“Readers will be impacted by the edginess of the raw emotions portrayed in this story, the charm of the characters and the uniqueness of the

life and spirit of Cameron.”

One of the King’s Men is for those who are grieving the loss of a beloved family member or a close friend or for those who are interested in knowing more about the greatness of God and how a young boy developed a powerful relationship with Jesus and the supernatural realm.

About the Author: Estelle Everingham was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in the 1950s and was the daughter of a pastor. Upon completing high school, she obtained qualifications in teaching and, over a period of forty-one years, taught in both state and Christian schools.

She taught every year level from prep to year twelve. She and her husband Phil were divorced in 2014. She now lives with her small dog.

She enjoys her retirement years, living fifteen minutes west of Caloundra, on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, where she is quite close to her son and daughter and their families, who are a great source of happiness and pride for her.

Get expert advice on layout, editing, costings, publishing and marketing from professional editors First consultation free Free quotes

Volunteering - ordinary people performing extraordinary tasks to help others

Swinburne Press (founded 1989)

Swan Volunteer Resource Centre (Midland) 9278 9690 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday (closed Wed)

P: 6296 5161 E: douglassb@iinet.net.au

32

cast by bright souls and the shades on the heart’s truth, she has flights of fancy and dives of despair.

Her love of myth and legend underlies her many layered storytelling, which is reflected with symbol and colour.

Hill was the manager of one of the major public libraries in Western Australia. She also worked in media and advertising, before training as an artist in textiles clay and paint.

An advocate for literacy, she has tutored in English language skills. She is a champion yachtswoman, qualified Master Class 5 Mariner Sail, navigating in ocean races on her own yacht.

There are so many opportunities for you to help those in our communities!

For more information or to make an appointment, call us now on 9278 9690.

swanvolunteers@swan.wa.gov.au www.swanvolunteers.com.au

Ellenbrook Pop Up Volunteer Centre 9207 8787 10am-3pm, Wednesdays

WRITING

MARATHON WRITING COMPETITION

T

he Society of Women Writers WA is hosting another Marathon Writing Competition on Saturday 17 September 2016, from 9.30am to 4pm at Citiplace Community Centre in the Perth Railway Station Concourse.

Will you accept the challenge? Helen Iles, President of the Society, will provide writing prompts to unlock your creativity. You will be amazed at how much writing you can produce.

Helen, who is an award-winning author and poet; publisher and editor, says, "Don't worry about grammar, punctuation or spelling, but let the words flow and fall as they may.

“The object of the marathon is not to create perfect pieces of writing on the day, but to produce first drafts, to unearth fresh new material and generate ideas for future writing projects."

Bring your favourite pens - notepaper will be supplied. There will be ten challenges, each lasting twenty-five minutes. The winner will receive a trophy and certificate. There are also prizes for second and third places.

The cost of the Marathon is $20 and it is open to men and women. Tea and coffee provided.

For bookings call 0415 840 031 or email swwofwa@gmail.com.

RASPBERRY PI COMPUTER The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized single board computer developed with the intent to promote the teaching of basic computer science.

Its possibilities are endless!

Come and learn electronics and computer

programming so you can bring to life the next great invention, be it in gaming, music or anything you can imagine as part of National Science Week.

The programme will culminate in a science fair type event in mid-September, featuring inventions from participants, with Raspberry Pi kits to be won as prizes!

The classes held at Ballajura Public Library, Corner Kingfisher Avenue and Illawarra Crescent, Ballajura.

Equipment and catering provided! This programme will be run in partnership with the Dungeon Youth Centre in Ballajura.

Bookings are essential for these free events.

RASPBERRY PI INVENTORS CHALLENGE EVENT TIMETABLE Event Date Getting Started with Raspberry Pi August 15 Getting Started with Sense Hat August 17 Getting Started with Physical Computing

August 18 Open Lesson 1 August 24 Open Lesson 2 August 31 Open Lesson 3 September 7 "Pi Smash" Science Fair September 14

RATTLE SOME BONES & SPOOK SOME SENSES SHANNON COYLE

T

he KSP Writers' Centre is holding a Spooky Stories night in August to help raise funds for its 2016 Writer-in-Residence program, for which funding was recently cut by the state government.

The family-friendly event will feature a bonfire, marshmallow toasting, hearty soup, fresh rolls, hot chocolate and award-winning stories from KSP's 2016 Ghost Story Competition.

If you've never visited the Greenmount Centre before, this is a great opportunity to view one of the hills' community's most significant historic buildings, and be entertained by local author performances. The ghosts of Katharine Susannah Prichard and Hugo Throssell VC – who both died on the property – may just pop in to enjoy the night!

Bring your own drinks, torch and some buddies and get ready to have a great winter night out to support a good cause.

Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 child and $15 for a family.

For more information: Phone 08 9294 1872 or visit KSP's website: http://www. kspwriterscentre.com/

33

WRITING MISSING SUE MORLEY

I

’ve thought long and hard about this word, ‘missing’. It’s quite a sad word really, a word that conjures up longing, pain, and concern.

There are very few times that the word will convey good news. Although if you missed your plane and it later crashed, that would be a very good thing.

Otherwise the news all seems to be bad. Even the synonyms for missing are negative, such as, lost, misplaced, absent and gone.

Let’s look at some times in our lives when we may find ourselves missing something.

Missing home. Homesickness, a yearning so strong it can be an ache in the stomach and heart, a longing to be home, a place where you belong, with people you care about.

Missing something that’s lost or mislaid causes the same ill-ease. Even after the search has been called off, some small part of the brain is always seeking, searching for the lost item, never feeling the world’s quite right until you’re reconnected with the thing you lost.

Missing lost youth and being unable to do the physical things one used to be able to. Gazing into the mirror, missing the smooth unlined skin, bright eyes, shiny healthy hair and full set of teeth.

Missing a child when you lose your grip on a toddler in the crowd. The horror, fear and anxiety, the all encompassing heart thumping moments,

minutes or hours, even in some sad cases forever.

Missing your children when they leave home.

There’s a real term for this, the empty nester, passing by the empty bedrooms, cooking for two instead of six, scouring the photo albums, wondering, where did the years go?

Missing a mother, when Alzheimer’s steals her away. Still with us in body, but her mind’s gone missing, sometimes to return fleetingly, but not for long Missing good health, something we take for granted until one day it’s gone. No matter how hard we try to keep our strength and vitality, they go missing, eventually.

Missing just something, but you’re not sure what it is. “There’s something missing in my life” people say. It may be a career, a lover, money, or health, leaving us feeling unsatisfied.

Missing a loving relationship, even though you may still love that person, something went missing, but you’re not sure when.

Missing the feeling of belonging. Being in a crowd, but somehow not a part of it, talking, laughing, seeming as if you belong, but there’s something missing, you still feel alone.

Missing out, when you feel overlooked or not even considered for a job, causing feelings of inadequacy and rejection.

To miss anything in sport, whether it be a goal, the net, hole, KSP Writers' Centre presents bullseye or ball, causes a groan.

Missing. Even the sound of the word is with mournful, like the sound of a snake, secretive and sly.

I don’t like this Learn how to create and build word. your author brand to strengthen your chances of publication and engage better with your readers.

Building A Strong Author Brand Natasha Lester

Over Four Consecutive Tuesdays 9th - 30th August 2016, 6.30-9.00pm $150 KSP and WUWA-members $200 non-members

BOOK ONLINE www.kspwriterscentre.com or call 9294 1872

34

Concluded from page 27...

However plans seldom run smoothly; certainly not in rom-coms. She meets John Harding (Ethan Hawke), a “ficto-critical anthropologist”, whose surname is sufficiently similar to cause a mix-up in payment cheques. He is married, with children, to the high-flying Georgette Nørgaard (Julianne Moore), a university professor.

He is also trying to write a book. He needs somewhere quiet to work and moves in with Maggie. Nine months later, a baby girl arrives.

There is an old saying: “maternity is a certainty but paternity is a hypothesis”. Not that that worries Maggie.

It is just that John is a distraction and she has lost control. He and Georgette were made for each other and should be back together. And Maggie has a plan.

None of the three characters are particularly likeable but one develops a certain sympathy for Maggie. All she wants is a baby – without all that adult relationship stuff. Karen Rinaldi has written and Rebecca Miller directed a simple tale. Why can’t women have children and independence?

New York in winter under snow and girls in warm woolen outfits look beautiful. Ethan is suitably eccentric, plowing through a frozen forest, Julianne is icy and a scene-stealer.

There are many laugh-out-loud moments.

Watch for rugged Australian Travis Fimmel (the lead in Vikings on SBS TV) as the Brooklyn pickle merchant.

Ficto-critical anthropologist? Who makes up these occupations? This film is a good relaxing option for your Friday night out.

Maggie’s Plan opened at Cinema Paradiso on the 7th July.

THE IDLER The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Mind timing of an election is critical. I for one couldn’t Or the text from Shopgirl who lamented that

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA MADE THE FEDERAL ELECTION BEARABLE GLENNYS MARSDON

A

s the Federal election is relegated to the past I thought it might be wise to take a moment and ponder some of the lessons learned this year.

That way we can be prepared for when the next one rolls around in three years’ time, or earlier if history is anything to go by.

To my mind the election taught us three things, the importance of timing, social media and the need for a unique personal brand.

In the countdown to the election our televisions and newspapers were festooned with the usual debates about health, education and tax reform, amongst others.

After a while the comments all blended into a mind-numbingly grey suited haze, until it was inevitably dubbed ‘the most boring election ever’.

Who can blame us for losing interest, especially when the leaders and deputy leaders of both parties morphed into one similar presidential persona.

Now when I say similar I mean exactly the same, in their crisp tailored suits, short, neat haircuts and drop pearl earrings, that’s Julia and Tanya not Malcom and Bill in case you were wondering, though a touch of cross dressing would certainly have made the coverage more interesting.

If not for Julia’s well documented ‘assassin’s stare’ and Bills ‘deer in traffic lights’ blink, I could easily have mixed up which leader or deputy was professing what.

Hopefully by the next election one of the parties might have commissioned Boy George’s tailor to take a rummage through their wardrobe, (notice I said wardrobe not closet), and suggest something to eradicate the blandness.

Aside from presenting a professional image, albeit the same one, everyone knows that the

have been more delighted with the July 2nd date.

For starters the date coincided with the beginning of the winter school holidays over here in the West.

As dictated by the modern day rule of ‘keeping up with the Kardashians’, two thirds of Perth families with school age children would be compelled to flee the metropolitan area.

Reminiscent of Pavlov’s hound salivating at the sound of a bell, the majority of Perth families would be found lining up for flight 777 to Bali, as the final school siren had tolled.

Those less concerned about international travel trends would gather their brood for a Griswold-esk vacation to Broome, or if they’d been hit by the Retrenchment Fairy, that seems to have taken up residence in W.A., … Yanchep.

Either way this would result in one thing, fewer people at the metropolitan polling stations. The positive flow on effect was obvious, particularly on social media.

Unlike previous elections when strangers

would stand mute amongst a trail of grumpy voters, this year they took to social media to tweet about their voting experience.

Whether triggered by hours of watching MasterChef or My Kitchen Rules I’m not sure, but the hashtag #democracysausage was born. My favourite tweets under this hashtag: John Johnsonson who tweeted that ‘voting is like going to a hardware store. You stand in line, eat a hot dog, and end up with a few tools that don’t work.’

ReviewAustFiction who considered the sausage a symbol of democracy suggested it was made of ‘pigs anuses, ground hooves and intestines.’

since she’d found $2 on the floor she could ‘afford a democracy sausage despite working in the Arts.’

The hashtag was soon trending across the nation.

At Gladesville Public School in NSW they boasted a sausage sizzle, bacon rolls and those not into meat could settle for a democracy cupcake.

Meanwhile somewhere called Queanbeyan was offering ‘vegan and gluten free snags’ suggesting it may be near Byron Bay. There was even a website www.electionsausagesizzle.com. au and a map showing which polling booths were offering each delectable morsels.

At one stage the map suggested that Western Australia had 104 such booths, third only to New South Wales (236) and Victoria (190).

Meanwhile the ACT only had 39, which was behind Queensland (88) and only marginally better than South Australia (35). Tasmania boasted a mere 16 and if you could find the one sausage sizzle listed for the Northern Territory consider yourself lucky.

Soon it was trending internationally and an Australian voting in Bangkok tweeted about a democracy grilled banana.

At the same time another hashtag was gaining momentum, #dogsatpollingstations.

The internet became riddled with delightful Westies displaying red collars, keen Kelpies in Greens t shirts, disappointed looking Golden Retrievers (their growing paunches meaning they’d miss out on a democracy sausage), and one particularly worried looking sausage dog. And perhaps in a nod to political correctness, the late addition of several surly looking cats under the hashtag #catsforrepresentativedemocracy.

Timing is important in the world of social media where trends ebb and flow within milliseconds. Clearly one of the hip young marketing consultants working with Bill Shorten was onto the trend.

Sadly, though social media can be a cruel mistress, and when their charge was filmed eating his democracy sausage from the middle, an action quickly deemed ‘un-Australian’, the strategy backfired. Was this the real reason for his lower numbers?

One tweeter named GoodsirSays was more forgiving aligning equality and democracy with the ‘freedom to eat your sausage sanger from either end, or the middle.’

Voting over it was time for the count and another lesson in timing for future elections.

Having sat through way too many mindnumbing election nights, I was thrilled to find that this year’s most boring night of television coincided with not one but two major sporting events.

An election count interspersed with the grunts of Wimbledon and skin grazing of the Tour de France made the whole torturous experience go down as enjoyably as a chargrilled sausage in a bun covered with lashing of fried onions, mustard and tomato sauce.

Perhaps this is where Brexit went wrong?

35

HEALTH LIFE IN THEIR HANDS AT SUBIACO ARTS DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

Funny, poignant and uplifting stories remind us of the past

T

here cannot be a single family who has lived in Western Australia for any time at all that doesn't owe a debt of gratitude to King Edward Memorial Hospital.

My own son, James,was born in an emergency Cesarean at King Edward and he and my wife received the best possible medical care available anywhere.

I, along with thousands upon thousands of Western Australians, owe the dedicated and passionate staff of 'King Eddy's' a debt we can never repay.

This year the hospital celebrates one hundred years of service from the tentative and shaky opening with a mere twenty beds for both mothers and babies. The hospital grew out of a concern in the early part of the last century that there was no dedicated public maternity hospital. There were various charitable and private maternity clinics.

At a meeting in 1909 a decision was taken to appoint a committee to pursue the matter led by Edith Cowan and Jane Scott.

Between 1909 and 1915 the committee raised funds and tussled with government to wring enough funds to open the hospital on the 14th July, 1916. It was named for the late monarch Edward VII who had died in 1910.

In the first six months 101 babies

Nursing Staff at King edward Memorial Hospital for Women in 1916

were born at the new hospital. The cost of a confinement and fourteen days post natal care cost three pounds and three shillings.

To mark the centenary of King Edward the Centenary Committee, working with Agelink Theatre and Vocal Ensemble Voiceworks have commissioned Life in Their Hands, a stories and music celebration of the birth of the hospital, through the First World War and the changes over the decades to now.

Written by well-known theatre personality Jenny Davis Life in Their Hands has two performances only at 2:00pm and 7:30pm on the 6th August at the Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.

Tickets cost $35.68 (adults) and $ 30.58 (concession) and are available on the Ticketek website.

The Bateman Triplets going home - 1959

36

HEALTH KICKSTARTING NEW STROKE RESEARCH RACHEL MURPHY

T

he Stroke Foundation is looking to spark the next big innovation in stroke with its annual research grants program now open.

Stroke researchers are encouraged to submit applications in a range of critical fields, including using technology in stroke rehabilitation and boosting support for carers.

Stroke Foundation Research Advisory Committee Member Professor Julie Bernhardt, said the grants program had the potential to deliver important change in stroke practice, policy and knowledge.

“Evidence-based research is key to helping health professionals and governments better understand stroke, and improving its care and treatment,” Professor Bernhardt said.

“We’re looking for new research projects in a range of areas, including improving the delivery of high quality stroke care, transitioning patients

from the acute setting into the community, and managing fatigue.

“We also want to unearth new ideas about how emerging technology can help stroke patients, as well as nurturing up and coming researchers to strengthen the future of stroke care in this country.

“I encourage stroke researchers to submit their applications today. You could help us develop the next game-changer for stroke,” she said.

Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan said high quality research is vital to improving outcomes for Australian stroke patients.

“The Stroke Foundation is proud to support new research into how stroke is treated and managed in Australia,” Ms McGowan said.

“Our research program supports health

professionals and academics to investigate innovative ways of preventing stroke, improving its treatment, and supporting stroke survivors in the community.

“More than 11,000 lives are lost to stroke every year and many more people are left with lifelong disability but it doesn’t have to be this way.

“It is crucial that we continually look at how we can improve the prevention, treatment and management of this insidious disease.”

Each year the Stroke Foundation offers a range of grants including Small Project Grants, Seed Grants and Future Leader Grants. Applications are now open and will close on Friday, August 26.

For more information on the program and how to apply visit https://www.strokefoundation.com.au/ what-we-do/research/research-grants

DON’T WAIT TO ASK

W

ith up to one in three fly-in fly-out workers reportedly experiencing mental health difficulties1, suicide prevention organisation R U OK? is urging workmates to support one another before they hit rock bottom, as part of a new campaign.

Given that safety and risk aversion is at the heart of FIFO work practices, the campaign is a much-needed reminder that identifying emotional danger in the workplace isn’t as obvious as identifying physical danger.

With the number of Australians taking their own lives on the rise to almost eight deaths every day2, R U OK? CEO Brendan Maher urges employers and business leaders to do more to foster workplace cultures that encourage peer-to-peer conversations about wellbeing.

“Working away from family and friends inevitably takes a toll on people; especially if they’re dealing with issues at home. We need to remind workmates to watch out for the subtle changes that suggest someone isn’t coping so well.

“Sharing this campaign within your organisation – and championing it in a genuine, authentic way - is one strategy all team leaders can employ to foster positive talking behaviour between peers.”

The new campaign materials include a range of posters; videos; a step-by-step flow chart to have a conversation; and toolbox talking points for managers to share with their teams.

The visual across the resources features three workers; two wearing high visibility clothing and one receding into darkness. The scenario serves as a prompt to genuinely ask after each other more often.

R U OK? Scientific Advisor and Lifeline Executive Director Alan Woodward said that research shows that men, in particular, need to be encouraged to speak up when they’re struggling: “We know that people are more likely to turn to family, friends and workmates during times of stress, so it’s vital that workmates are empowered to have open and non-judgemental conversations,” Alan said.

“It’s not about fixing someone’s problems – it’s about giving them the confidence and reassurance that they’re not alone. And – if necessary - being positive about the role of health experts in improving mental wellbeing.”

The FIFO campaign is supported by the global helicopter transportation services company, Bristow. Human Resources Manager of the Asia Pacific Region Keir Williams said the campaign is being launched at a critical time: “While company executives are asking themselves what they can – and should – be doing to help support their employees through

uncertain times, it’s also important that peers look out for one another,” Keir said.

“FIFO workmates are best placed to understand the impact and challenges of working remotely for long periods, and therefore best placed to support each other through that.”

[1] The impact of FIFO work practices on mental health Final report, published by the Parliament of Western Australia, Perth 2015 [2] 3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2014, published by ABS 2016

Seeing who’s struggling isn’t always obvious.

Ask R U OK? or something like this:

“How you travelling?”

“How’s everything at home?”

“You seem a bit quiet. Everything ok?”

No, I’m not OK.

Yes, I’m fine.

Dig a bit deeper:

But your gut says they’re not:

“What’s been happening?”

“It’s just that you don’t seem your old self lately.”

“How long has that been the case?”

“It’s ok if you don’t want to talk.”

“I’m ready to listen if you want to talk.”

“I’m here if you change your mind.”

Listen; don’t judge Offer support and explore next steps:

“How can I help?”

“What would help take the pressure off?”

“What do you enjoy doing? Making time for that can really help.”

“You’ve been feeling down for a while. Have you thought about seeing a professional?”

Make time to check in: “Let’s grab a bite this week.”

If you need more information or expert advice visit ruok.org.au

37

 

This i s the Swan Valle y

         

Time to get cosy with a glass of Swan Valley Red

   

  

COS02019

 38

like to adopt or foster contact SAFE Karratha on 9185 4634 or visit our website www.safe.asn.au.

VOLUNTEERING INFORMATION SAFE is a not for profit organisation that saves rehomeable animals from euthanasia. We have ten branches around the state and are always in need of volunteers in many different roles to help our animals into foster and permanent homes.

Have you considered volunteering? We have Judy's driveway and unload the precious cargo. volunteers working effectively from all over the Judy was well prepared and ready for her country performing and array of tasks.

Our overheads are kept small as we rely on our volunteers to care for the animals, take photographs, write profiles, coordinate photographers and profilers, do website content management, write stories for publications, do public relations and administrative work. Email and internet makes volunteering possible from anywhere.

We’d also love to welcome more foster carers to our network in Perth and across the state.

Fostering is a vital role as it provides rehabilitation, training, caring and loving of animals to prepare them for their new lives with permanent owners.

We are always in need of donations to pay vet bills - every rescue animal has to be desexed, vaccinated and microchipped. Volunteer fundraisers and marketers to help raise these much needed funds.

If you’d like to donate, information can be found on: http://www.safe.asn.au/How_to_help/ Donate.html If you’d like to make a difference and join our team of volunteers and foster carers, please email karratha@safe.asn.au or phone us at SAFE Karratha at (08) 9185 4634.

new charges. She found her hands full and overflowing, never a dull moment with these little guys and girls around. Judy describes feeding time as a bit like a zoo with this many hungry mouths around but by sleep time there’s usually twelve balls of fluff all piled one on top of the other.

Mum Tessa was also in need of a lot of love and good nutritious food and is now recovering well in Judy’s care. Judy has thrived with twelve Grand-dogs and it’s looking most likely that Tessa has made her way into Judy’s heart and a permanent home. It’s a wonderful outcome for dogs and people alike!

SAFE’s foster carer network is invaluable to ensure our animals are well looked after before they find their new permanent homes.

We have been inundated recently with numerous litters of puppies requiring care and spur-ofthe-moment carers like Judy are true lifesavers.

The ‘T’ puppies (all named after the same letter as their mum’s name) are looking to be adopted and there are certainly many other dogs, of all ages, looking for their permanent homes.

All SAFE animals are desexed, vaccinated, microchipped as part of their adoption fee. If you’d

TESSA AND THE TWELVE TINY ‘T’ TOTS

A

t SAFE we believe that everything happens for a reason and one of our new foster carers, Judy, is the perfect example.

Judy had been trying to visit SAFE for a while with a view to either adopting or fostering a dog but for one reason or another time hadn’t been on her side.

When she eventually did drop in to the SAFE Karratha office it was fortuitous timing for SAFE Founder Sue Hedley.

Sue was leaving early the following morning to go to Broome for the launch of a book (SAFE Ruby about an adoption of a SAFE dog from Karratha thirteen years ago).

To help out the SAFE Broome branch, she had promised to bring back a mother and her twelve puppies but was struggling to find a carer for this large, needy furfamily.

Judy wasn't expecting her first fostering role to be looking after a mother and twelve young puppies but she generously said yes. When Sue texted her co-worker Kylie with the good news an angel emoticon appeared on her phone and from this moment our new foster carer was called Angel Judy.

Sue knew she had definitely found the right person for this unique fostering job. Angel Judy even put her hand up to provide emergency care for a cat while Sue was away in Broome.

It was a tiring and long twelve hour trip back from Broome with mum and puppies but all were very patient and it was a great relief to pull into

39

BUSINESS CARD BOARD ACCOUNTANT

ELECTRICAL

BRICKPAVING

EDITOR

Specialising in Brickpaving & Soakwells

FREE Quotes No job too big or too small Call Larry: 0431 057 124 or 6278 2301

40

Need an editor?

Get expert advice on layout, editing, costings, publishing and marketing from a professional editor.

First consultation free. Free quotes.

Swinburne Press (founded 1989) P: 6296 5161 E: douglassb@iinet.net.au

CEILINGS

GARDENING

WEB DESIGN

GARDEN SERVICES

DOG TRAINING

GARDEN SERVICES

BUSINESS CARD BOARD GLASS

SHEDS

MAINTENANCE

TREE SERVICES

Just Trees Your Affordable Local Tree Service Pruning - Lopping - Removals - Mulching

9274 3236

~ Fully Insured

~ Call for a Free Quote

7B Bushby Street, Bellevue, WA 6056

MARKETS

TUITION

CALL FOR A FREE ASSESSMENT ELLENBROOK - 9297 3654 PUBLISHERS

TV ANTENNA

Have a book to publish?

v Family History v Non-Fiction v Autobiography v Biography v Fantasy v Fiction v Poetry

Swinburne Press (founded 1989) P: 6296 5161 E: douglassb@iinet.net.au

WEB DESIGN

Your business could be here being seen by more than 90,000 readers for only $40.

Ring 6296 5161 41

42