When Christmas isn’t Christmas for Woodend Lifestyle Carers Group

Well, we just made it into July by celebrating Winter Christmas extra early on the 6th WLCG members made a return visit to The Plough at Myrniong where a blazing log fire greeted us after a very pleasant coach trip through the forests and beautiful countryside along the way.

A welcoming glass of bubbles fitted the occasion and the Christmas fayre and exchange of gifts from Santa’s sack was a wonderful opportunity for everyone to sit back and enjoy good conversation getting to know more about each other, in warm and comfortable surroundings.

If you’ve never been to this particular hostelry you are really missing out, and I’ve no doubt we’ll be heading back there next year.

To learn more of our friendly, social and informative events and our amazing plans for the future support of those affected by dementia come along to the Woodend RSL at 1pm on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. Also, you can visit our website: wlcg.org.au or call 0476 373 483 for a chat.

A thought – is Christmas-in-July celebrated in the northern hemisphere and does the cook get all hot-and-bothered preparing turkey and eating plum pudding in their summer?

Cherry Servis

The pianola was moved from the nursing home to the Life Enhancement Program (LEP) room and has given residents many afternoons of pleasure. At one of these afternoons a lovely resident danced all around the LEP room much to the pleasure of the other residents. Between you and me, the dancer was our lovely Lorraine.

A lot of work has been done at the hostel. Walls have been taken down in the Elms, making a large bright and beautiful dining room. Residents can look out of windows in all directions and see beautiful trees and garden. The best part is that residents can see each other.

Our wonderful staff and chefs and kitchen staff attend to every resident’s needs and on behalf of the residents, thank you.

We had another lovely afternoon with a new entertainer by the name of Helen and singing Sadie the Cleaning Lady

Residents help the staff sometimes; it might be folding something or displaying the lovely flowers

BETTY'S BOOP

With Betty Doolan

that we receive each week from Hazel at Gisborne Cottage Flowers. Pat and other resident ladies put all the flowers in vases and Pat puts the vases all around the building, making our home very nice. A big ‘thank you’ to Pat and the flower ladies. Residents celebrated many special days last month like NAIDOC Week, Friendship Day, World Chocolate Day (this is the one I like), Bastille Day and many more.

We are all anxious to know who will win the football tipping.

Keep warm,

Betty

Celebrating 30 years at Swinburne Avenue Children’s Centre

Swinburne Avenue Children’s Centre recently celebrated its 30th birthday milestone. The kindergarten was established in 1993 and has seen some renovations to the building and the playground in its 30 years of operation. It has strong links to the local community and primary schools in our area. To commemorate its 30 years, the kindergarten will hold celebrations with current children and staff, and collaborate with past and current staff and students to produce a commemorative ebook of photos and memories.

If you have a memory, or photos to share, email Clair at cjohnston@mrsc.vic.gov.au

Free reusable nappy workshop

Are you curious about modern cloth nappies? Whether you are motivated by cost savings, environmental impact by reducing waste, or health benefits for your child; join Leesa from Darlings

Downunder for a workshop to discover the world of modern cloth nappies. Leesa is a a mother of two toddlers. Her passion for cloth nappies has led her to running Darlings

Downunder store in Kyneton. She will take you through everything you need to know to get started with cloth nappies.

April Motors

Join us at Riddells Creek Neighbourhood House on Tuesday 15 August at 10am. All participants receive a $20 gift voucher to spend on reusable cloth nappies and go into a prize draw to win $200 worth of nappies. There are limited spots available. To register, visit mrsc. vic.gov.au/nappies.

Macedon Ranges residents embrace FOGO

Since the start of the fourbin system, the amount of waste the shire is sending to landfill has reduced significantly.

The introduction of the food organics garden organics (FOGO) bin has seen nearly 30,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill. But if it is not going to landfill, where is it going?

FOGO materials collected from kerbside bins are taken to a company called Biomix in Stanhope, near Shepparton, and turned into Australian Standard compost. During this process, our loads are screened for quality and contaminants. The most common contaminants found are soft plastics (these belong in the red general waste bin), hard plastics (yellow recycling bin) and non-compostable bin liners (red general waste bin).

For the month of June, our contamination level was only 0.276 per cent – one of the lowest contamination levels we have had. The lower the contamination rate, the better the quality of compost. Thanks to the hard work of our residents, we have been able to maintain a contamination level of below one per cent for quite some time. We would like to thank and congratulate the community for their efforts.

Want to get your hands on some of this compost? Compost and mulch are available to buy. For information, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/compost.

Village Connect events for over-55s

Are you 55 years or older and looking to connect with others locally? Council’s Village Connect program has a range of activities on offer for over-55s and carers.

August events include:

Pathways for Carers – Next two dates: Friday 4 August and 1 September. Meet at 9:45am at Barry Doyle Memorial Rotunda, 2 Campaspe Crescent, Kyneton. Free monthly walk for carers of older people, people with a disability or mental illness.

Board games for over-55s: Chess ─ Friday 25 August, 1:30pm, Gisborne Community Centre meeting room, 8a Hamilton Street. Gather and connect with likeminded individuals over a casual game of chess.

Digital Education session: Demystifying QR codes ─ 11am–12pm, Monday 21 August, Kyneton Town Hall. Spaces limited. Bookings essential.

To register for Village Connect events or find out more about the program, call 5422 0333 or visit mrsc. vic.gov.au/village-connect.

Storm recovery: ‘Cumulative Trauma’ with Dr Rob Gordon

6pm, Thursday 24 August, Woodend Community Centre

As part of ongoing support to communities following the flooding across the Macedon Ranges in October 2022, the Council will be hosting a free post-flood recovery session with clinical psychologist Dr Rob Gordon OAM to support the wellbeing of affected residents.

Dr Gordon will talk about the cumulative effects of multiple traumas in the community.

Dr Gordon specialises in trauma and recovery, and has work for many years with the Victorian Government and communities impacted by emergencies.

Registrations are essential. Visit mrsc.vic. gov.au/rob-gordon.

Environment events for August

Large tree and hollow identification –Citizen Science survey

● Mount Gisborne Bushland Reserve, South Gisborne, 10am-12pm, Thursday 10 August

● Barringo Reserve, New Gisborne, 10am-12pm, Thursday 24 August

Join bushland reserves officer Martin Roberts for an educational walk and talk. We will be documenting large tree locations and looking for hollows to highlight the critical role they play for fauna such as possums, gliders and birds. Information gathered will help create a database of large habitat trees.

Bird walk for beginners

Jacksons Creek, Gisborne, 9-10am, Thursday 17 August Bird enthusiast and Biodiversity Project officer Tanya Loos will take you along Jacksons Creek for an hour with the birds. Learn to identify the little birds, practise using the Birdata app to record sightings.

Nature guide in focus: Birds of the Macedon Ranges

Webinar via Zoom, 7-8pm, Wednesday 30 August

We’ll show how our bird guide can be used to springboard your birdwatching journey. Tips, tricks and tools of the trade such as binoculars and apps will be covered. A perfect way to lead into Bird Month and our annual Bird Blitz.

To register for above events, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/ environment-events

Cool-ER Changes

We would love to hear from local community groups that are keen to participate in local climate action. If you would like to get involved in implementing the shire’s first Climate Emergency Response Plan (CERP), please contact us at environment@mrsc.vic.gov.au

Healthy Landscapes course and events

Healthy Landscapes is offering its successful sixday Holistic Grazing Management course, starting in September and finishing in May next year. The course is designed to assist land managers to improve their skills and knowledge about grazing livestock, resulting in an increase in soil carbon and perennial pasture species, including native species.

Other Healthy Landscapes events in August include

● A grazing and farming field activity at Drummond on Sunday 13 August, 10-11.30am – Led by the Council’s private-land conservation officer, Jason McAinch, learn from one another about how to graze animals in a sustainable way;

● Webinar: Local farmers revisited – Online, 7-8.30pm, Tuesday 15 August. Hear from local farmers on where they are on their holistic farming journey;

● Webinar: What is the carbon tally on your farm? Online, 7-8.30pm, Tuesday 29 August. Our panel will discuss how to calculate the carbon footprint on your farm, options to improve carbon position and the offsets market.

To register for these events and to express your interest in the program, or to sign up to our Healthy Landscapes eNews, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/healthylandscapes.

Aquatics and Fitness

Spring into a healthier you! Take advantage of our spring offer and embark on a path to a more active lifestyle.

Join the Council's direct debit swim, gym, or gym/swim memberships between 21 August and 4 September and don’t pay anything until 29 September. Terms and conditions apply. This offer is available at Gisborne Fitness Centre and Gisborne Aquatic Centre. For information, contact the Fitness Centre on 5428 3318 or email gfc@mrsc.vic.gov.au, or the pool on 5421 1452 or email gac@mrsc.vic.gov.au