Snippets of My Life On the Road with Adrian Barnes
ESSENTIAL SERVICES BEHIND THE WHEEL & IN THE POOL WITH
ONE RECIPE, MANY POSSIBILITIES
SANDRA HOLMES
Diamonds & Dragons
By Maureen Grickage
Art with Peta Machin
INSIDE THIS ISSUE CEO’S COLUMN | GENERAL NEWS | RESIDENT STORIES
AUGUST DECEMBER/JANUARY / SEPTEMBER 2021 2018
tidings
26 Plantation Dr Bentley WA 6102 Phone: (08) 6250 0000 Fax: (08) 9470 2017 www.swancare.com.au twitter.com/swancare
CEO's Coffee Club - Page 5
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Tidings Magazine is a bi-monthly publication produced and printed on behalf of the residents at SwanCare. Material deadline for advertising is the 7th of the month preceding each bimonthly edition. To book advertising or for information regarding rates please contact SwanCare on 6250 0032. Please supply editorial contributions as a Word document electronically to tidings@swancare.com.au. Hard copies of articles can be handed to reception in the Administration offices at Bentley Park and Australind Rise. Any supporting photographs may be supplied electronically or as hard-copy prints. Disclaimer In good faith SwanCare accepts articles, a small selection of advertisements, and other content for Tidings. However, the opinions and claims expressed in articles and advertising materials presented in Tidings are those of the authors and the advertisers respectively, and do not necessarily reflect the views of SwanCare, unless stated. No responsibility is accepted by SwanCare for the accuracy of information contained in the articles or advertisements. Cover image: SwanCare Bentley Park resident Adrian Barnes.
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Sandra Holmes - Page 8
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Meat Terrine Recipe - Page 25
SWANCARE NEWS CEO column and news from SwanCare
VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS Sandra Holmes
MEET THE STAFF Dhurba Rijal – Jarrah Cafe Chef
VILLAGE NEWS Club & Group updates
RESIDENT STORY Adrian Barnes
Gardens Interest Group - Page 19
Peta's Diamond Dots - Page 22
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RESIDENT STORY Margaret Jones
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GARDENS INTEREST GROUP
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SCAM WATCH
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Meet Chef Dhurba Rijal - Page 9
Noelene Barnes
Cautionary Tales with SwanCare ICT Manager: Colin Manes
PASSIONS & PASTIMES Peta Machin – Diamond Dots
Adrian Barnes - Page 12
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BRAIN EXERCISES
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LEGENDARY RECIPES
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Link capital cities to their country by Sue Lewis
Maureen Grickage – Meat Terrine
OUT & ABOUT Photos from across the Village
WHAT'S ON Events happening in the local area
LIBRARY AND DEAR EDITOR ‘Numbered Account’ by Christopher Reich Tips from Maria
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SwanCare News
CEO'S Column Welcome to Winter, and what a winter it has been thus far! While the weather has been wetter than we are used to, the gardens are sure to appreciate every drop. It has been lovely to see routines being maintained throughout our community even with umbrellas in hand. August is an important month for us with two big dates in the Executive Team’s calendar to look forward to. Firstly, we have a special day planned to acknowledge and celebrate all our wonderful SwanCare employees for Aged Care Employee Day and our midyear Feathers event on the 6th of August. The theme for this year is #ThanksForCaring. This important message aims to recognise every single aged care professional involved in caring for the 1.3 million older Australians receiving home care or residential care. This wonderful mid-year event is a chance for staff to come together to celebrate our outstanding people - and the kind and courageous things they do every day. We will be recognising the team members at the top of our Feathers leader board before determining the Feathers Winner of 2021 at the Annual Feathers Awards at the end of the year. Then secondly, the annual SwanCare Board and Executive planning and strategy day which will be held in mid-August. This is an opportunity to reflect on matters, validate our direction and put in motion plans for future aspirations and objectives of the organisation.
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It allows us to address and confirm answers to key questions such as: • Who are we? • Who do we serve? • What is our core business? • What is our appetite for growth? • How do we position ourselves for the future? In closing, I would like to remind you that Jarrah Cafe on Adie Court, under Akora Apartments, has now opened its doors. Despite a tricky start navigating lockdown and restrictions, they are doing quite well! The initial feedback has been excellent so if you haven’t had a chance to pop in, we encourage all residents and visitors to pay Jarrah Cafe a visit. We need residents to support the cafe and provide feedback to the staff so that we can continue to refine the service offering. This is a fantastic venue and we feel that the team there have done a great job in creating a warm and inviting environment with a delicious menu. Keep well and I look forward to seeing more faces out and about as the weather warms. Graham Francis SwanCare CEO
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day On 15th of June SwanCare staff and residents came together to raise awareness for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Some staff and residents chose to wear purple for the occasion to open conversations and support the cause. Residents of Bentley Park who enjoy knitting also created a great number of purple flowers for a WA based seniors project called 'The Purple Road'. The Purple Road is a community awareness campaign facilitated by the Older Peoples Rights Service at the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre to raise awareness and provide support for older people experiencing abuse. Groups from all over WA came together to join all of the created roads on 15th of June.
CEO's Coffee Club The June CEO's Coffee Club went to Bentley Hotel for lunch, then onto Optus Stadium for a tour. Residents had an enthusiastic tour guide who helped them get around the stadium and took them through stories about the outside of the stadium, then toured inside of the stadium (ground and upper levels) and underground.
SwanCare at Optus Stadium
Residents knitting flowers for The Purple Road
SwanCare residents touring Optus Stadium
SwanCare Admin staff wore purple
Well done to all residents who got involved and special thanks to our three lovely residents who volunteered to sew them on our 'purple road'. If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, or has a question about elder abuse, please call the WA Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 724 679 for a confidential discussion.
The stadium has a surprising amount of underground amenities for AFL players and cricket players alike, such as training rooms, recovery rooms and meeting rooms. The residents were particularly interested in seeing the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers change rooms. The stadium also has wonderful views out to the Swan River, Matagarup Bridge and more. From all reports residents had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the tour! The CEO's Coffee Club outings are different each time, so watch out for the next one in future notices from Natalie Hodi.
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SwanCare News Foodbank
SwanCare Ningana Celebrates We were overjoyed to celebrate SwanCare Ningana's 1st birthday in May. With residents and staff in attendance we had speeches, party food, music and decor galore. A fun afternoon was had by all in attendance!
SwanCare residents delivering to Foodbank WA
Our SwanCare Residents 2021 food drive donation has been dropped to Foodbank WA! Last year the donation was a huge 240kg (or 432 meals) and our goal this year was to beat it. We are elated to announce that we didn't just beat it, we almost doubled it... with a donation of 452kg (or 814 meals)!
Graham Francis & Sharleen Mann celebrating Ningana's 1st birthday
Once again we are so very proud of our SwanCare community, a huge pat on the back to those who donated. A special thank you to Pam and Lesley for organising the drive and to all the helpers this year. Foodbank is a fantastic charity organisation helping to fight hunger by sourcing food for people in need. If you wish to find out more about Foodbank or to donate, please visit their website for more information.
RSPCA donation Our residents truly have big hearts! Bentley Park Residents donated their spare blankets, bedding, and animal food to the Handicraft Group to sew into smaller blankets for the RSPCA Animals. In June the Community Living team had the pleasure of dropping it off to the shelter in Malaga and even got to see some feline friends up for adoption. RSPCA were very appreciative of the donation and thanked the residents very much – well done to all who donated their blankets and time!
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Ningana resident Jack Grayson enjoying the party
While we were there, we chatted to a couple of residents asking them "What do you like about living at SwanCare Ningana?". Here are some responses: • Jan B. – "Plenty of people to talk to." • Pam C. – "I am very lucky, I have a lovely big room on the ground floor. There is plenty of activities to pick and choose from." • Len W. – "Friendships with people." • Murray L-S. – "This is the best place in Australia." Wow, they are some amazing references! Cheers to the next year of service at SwanCare Ningana Aged Care Centre. Hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray!
SwanCare News Zonta House Donation
8th Honour for Leisure Precinct
In June the SwanCare Bentley Park donations for Zonta House were Ella from Zonta House picked up. with Lesley and Phyl Lesley Foster and Phyl Leavy were so overwhelmed with the amount donated - it took up Lesley's whole garage and some of her living space too. Ella from Zonta House picked up the donations in her SUV and did several trips as it couldn't all fit in the car.
We are excited to announce that the SwanCare Leisure Precinct has won another award! This award was presented to Realm Studios (SwanCare appointed landscaping architect) at the AILA WA Landscape Architecture Awards 2021 for Health and Education Landscape.
“It started with a lady we knew locally, who introduced us to the cause and was involved in donations for women’s refuges," explained Phyl. We wanted to help these women in need too, so we started a collection of our own. The collection grew bigger than expected as there was a lot of empathy for these women amongst our residents,” said Lesley. Zonta House Refuge Association Inc provides accommodation for women over 18 who are experiencing family or domestic violence issues and accepts donations to help these women start their new life with clothes and essential items. “We are seeing a huge increase in donations of tangible items which seems to be the donation of choice these days, over money. Donations of basic necessities mean we do not need to purchase them ourselves, which is very helpful,” said Ella from Zonta House. “People seem to take for granted basic necessities like taking a hot shower, having clean knickers, and warm pyjamas; so having these items to provide to women who come to us, with literally nothing but the clothes on their back, is helpful and appreciated.” Well done to Lesley and Phyl for organising this donation drive! And a special thank you to those who donated.
“We are so proud of the final outcome and the continual flow of positive comments validates all of the hard-work and ingenious design that went into the project,” said Graham Francis, SwanCare CEO. The award citation mentions: “…The designers have sought to encourage physical and social activity, taking into consideration some of the limitations that may be inherent in the residences. This is reflected in the generous provision of handrails, shallower grade ramps, good outdoor lighting and abundant seating opportunities to facilitate both quiet reflection and social interaction. The design successfully creates a new leisure and social heart for the campus that meets the needs of the residents and creates a rich and engaging landscape for family socialising.”
Containers for Change A review of the blue Containers for Change bins has noted that ineligible bottles are being placed in these bins. Our partner, Scouts WA may introduce a reduction in refunds due to the number of ineligible containers returned. INELIGIBLE CONTAINERS are: • Wine Bottles (including sherry and port) • Spirit Bottles • Cordial Bottles • Plain milk of any variety • Other recyclable items, cardboard and rubbish of any kind including food scraps Please ensure you only place eligible containers usually marked with a 10c mark on the container in the blue Containers for Change bins.
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Valuable Volunteer Meet Sandra Holmes For those living at SwanCare, the SwanMobile is an essential and much-loved service used by many, and only possible due to its team of dedicated volunteer drivers. One such volunteer is resident Sandra Holmes, who thoroughly enjoys getting behind the wheel every Friday morning! “I really love it!” said Sandra. “It’s the people you meet and the conversations you have that I really enjoy, some of the stories are amazing and there’s great humour in some of the people!” Sandra believes that Volunteering for the SwanMobile is one of the most vital volunteering jobs in the village. “There’s so many residents that couldn’t get to their appointments without it, as some can’t move very well. You may just be taking someone to the shops, but we don’t look at it like that, instead it’s a day out! I’ll never stop driving the buggy, I love it!” As well as darting around the village in the buggy, Sandra can be found volunteering at the swimming pool. “I’m a pool tester,” explains Sandra. “I was keen to volunteer as I tend to swim every day anyway. I help on the weekends to make sure all the levels are correct, so that our lap swimmers can enjoy the pool. It’s one of those jobs that has to be done, but a lot of people don’t know it happens”. Every volunteer has their own reasons for doing it, and for Sandra her reason is simple. “It’s just nice to make sure others are having as good a day as me!” said Sandra. “Although, I think we get more from it as volunteers than the people we help!” There’s one thing for certain, Sandra is a very hard worker. Aside from volunteering she also works part-time. “I’ve pretty much always worked in retail,” said Sandra, “I currently work in Claremont Quarter, I love my job!” Aside from working and volunteering, Sandra makes time to particpate in some of the many
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Sandra Holmes at the Leisure Precinct pool
groups here at SwanCare. “If you can’t find something to do to stop loneliness, I don’t know where you’re looking!” laughs Sandra. “I like quilting and do it every second Monday. I also use the gym, go walking with a friend in the mornings, and I swim a lot to keep fit.” Being a former army wife, Sandra has done her fair share of moving around Australia, but these days she is very content living among the SwanCare community. “I’ve been here seven and a half years,” said Sandra. “I can live comfortably here and I love the fun times I have with all the new friends I’ve made”. Thank you, Sandra, for everything you do to help the residents of SwanCare, you’re a super star!
Meet the Staff Jarrah Cafe's 5-Star Chef Starting with humble beginnings in a family restaurant in Nepal, Dhurba Rijal’s career had a surprising start as a relief cook when the restaurant chef was off. The customers noticed the love that he put into the food, eventually encouraging him to become the full-time chef. Dhurba’s passion for cooking then lead him to Australia for culinary study, where he pursued his dream role through a number of hotel restaurants, moving up through the ranks and becoming a head chef in a world-renowned hotel chain. “When I started my study here in Australia, I struggled for my first year as it was a different style of cooking than I was use to, but by my second year I was really enjoying it,” said Dhurba. Dhurba and his wife settled in Australia and 7 years later welcomed a baby girl. Once she was born, there was no looking back for Dhurba, seeking a job which allowed for fewer hours in the kitchen and more time at home with his family. Dhurba went on to join an aged care facility which offered residents 5-star dining once a week. “When I started in aged care, I thought that I would be cooking only soft food, but when I went there I realised it was far from the truth. I wanted to make their experience even better though, that’s when I created a fine dining menu similar to a 5-star hotel. Whatever I cooked in my earlier hotel career, I would present to the residents once a week,” said Dhurba. Enjoying working in aged care, Dhurba jumped at the chance to work for SwanCare, WA’s largest single site retirement and aged care campus, as the opportunity provided full menu planning experience and insights about the inner workings of a cafe, experience which he hopes to one day bring to his own cafe. “When I was planning this menu, I thought of providing simple Australian homestyle food, like you’d have at home with your parents. I want to bring a simple menu, but present it in a better way,” said Dhurba.
Dhurba Rijal at Jarrah Cafe
Although there are many homestyle options on the menu, you will find a few adventurous dishes too with Dhurba’s entrée recommendation of Smoked Duck and Chilli Garlic Linguine for mains. “When I was creating the duck recipe, I thought about elements from fire, earth, and water – fire to create the smoked flavour, water content from the lettuce, and the earthy taste from the beetroot. It’s smoked, with sweet and sour elements, and a bit of spice at the same time,” said Dhurba. For dessert, Coconut Pannacotta promises to please kids and grandparents alike. If you’re not salivating enough already, Dhurba’s passion will win you over. “I put my heart into the food and I’m sure people will be able to feel it when they dine with us. I love seeing customers enjoy my food,” said Dhurba. Jarrah Cafe is open 7 days. Visit their Facebook or Instagram @jarrahcafebentley for more details.
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Village News SwanCare Centres Auxiliary
Fish N Chips on Stratton
The August meeting of the Auxiliary will be held on Tuesday 24th in the auditorium at 1.30pm. The guest speaker will be resident Bill Waterer talking about his experiences working with the Orangutans in Borneo. This should be very interesting.
At our June luncheon, Adam Penn serenaded and danced with Maureen Waller. It made Maureen’s day as it was her birthday.
Raffle, lucky numbers and afternoon tea available. Visitors welcome for a gold coin donation. We would also like to thank everyone for their donations to the Zonta House appeal. Zonta House could not accept everything so the remaining goods went to the following charities: Perth Childrens Hospital, Save the Children, Dignity Bags, Salvos and Starick House.
Entertainers for 6th of August luncheon will be 'Darke Knights'. At our September luncheon the Entertainers will be 'Flashback Duo'. Due to limited seating, bookings can be made by contacting Lesley on 6250 0590. If call is not answered, please leave a Message and your call will be returned. Lesley Foster
Phyl Leavy
Village Residents Advisory Council (VRAC) The Residents’ Coffee Morning talks are progressing well. We will have a talk on living with arthritis in July, and later in the year the same organisation (A & O WA) will give a talk on osteoporosis. In August we are scheduled to have a talk from the Lions Hearing Services. In September, we will have a change of focus and our fellow resident, Bill Waterer, will talk to us about his work with the Jane Goodall Foundation and other environmental sustainability projects. We have been pleased to welcome some new people to the Council who are trying out our activities for the next few months, before deciding whether to formally nominate in October. There are still vacancies, so if you would like to join the Council meetings please just let us know, and we can give you the dates and times. Ellen Clair
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Adam Penn wished Maureen Waller a happy birthday
Swan Village Bowling Club The past several months have been fairly quiet because of the winter months, but gala days will return next month with the Patron’s Shield, scheduled for Wednesday the 8th of September. Also mark Thursday the 9th of September in your diary for our AGM. Information about both events will be posted on our notice board early this month. All residents invited are invited to come and join us for a game of bowls on Monday Wednesday and Saturday at 1pm. Jim Leavy
Village News The Snooker Club After 22 years as Snooker club President and playing member my health /physical problems have made it too difficult for me to fill either role – in any case it is probably about time for a change of club management. From 1st July the position of president will be filled by Senior Member Andrew Chisholm, Treasurer David Hall, subject to members endorsement. I take this decision with some regret as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club and made many good friends.
The Club is now running well with a good number of members with a good playing standard, its financial position is good with $1,174 at the start of financial year 2021/2022. I will remain a financial member and perhaps play a frame or two from time to time. Members Fees are now due at a cost of $10.00. I wish the Snooker Club every success for the future. Peter Brunt
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Resident Story
Trials & Travels with Adrian "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy" A phrase could not hold more truth than it does for SwanCare resident, Adrian Barnes. Although living a more urban lifestyle these days, Adrian will always have a strong pull to the country. “I grew up in what is now called Melville,” said Adrian. “It was just bush back then - all trees, no roads. I lived in a house on a two-hectare block with no electricity or running water.” It’s hard to imagine such a bustling suburb being described like this, but for Adrian, this is where he spent his childhood. “It’s all built up now, I don’t recognise it,” said Adrian. “We had no neighbours, so it was ‘make your own fun’! We lived about a mile to Canning Highway which had the nearest bus stop. I went to Applecross for Primary school and Fremantle for Secondary.” Adrian completed an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery, as well as national service in the Royal Navy. He was sent to the Montebello Islands off the Pilbara coast, where the British were testing atomic bombs at the time. A frightening thought now and what must have been a daunting prospect then. “We had no choice,” explained Adrian, “it was compulsory, so we just got on with it. Luckily, we were there between the bombs.”
Life in the Police Force Adrian spent 34 years of his working life serving in the Police Force, with 18 of those in country towns like Norseman, Coolgardie, Kellerberin, Laverton, Waroona and Bunbury. He was at the top of his game, working his way up to the very respectable position of Superintendent. His reason for choosing a life in the force is simple, “I just wanted to help
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Chief Inspector Adrian Barnes,1987
people” explained Adrian. “It was a lot simpler back then, there were good points and bad of course, but I liked it in the country (rather than metro), as you got to know everyone. You become part of the community, whereas in the city people don’t know each other and it’s a different system. That’s why there’s a lot of antagonism I think, people don’t know who is on the other side of the fence, so they don’t know who they’re dealing with”.
A happy marriage on the road Adrian has been together with his beautiful partner Jenni for 26 years, they came together through mutual interests. “We were both living in same suburb at the time,” said Adrian. “We were by ourselves and we’d see each other walking around. We started having a cup of tea together and discovered we both enjoyed the country life and travel”.
Travel is still big on the agenda for the couple, and they take any opportunity to get away. “At one stage, we had a camper trailer and we just travelled around for two years, living under canvas,” explained Adrian. “We travelled to all sorts of places around Australia. There wasn’t one favourite spot, everywhere was a favourite for its own reason, although Jenni prefers the Pilbara as she was born there. There’s oodles and oodles to see.” And international travel? “Years ago we did some international travel,” said Adrian, “We did Europe and I’ve done America with wife number one. And Jenni’s been to Canada by herself. So, we’ve seen a bit here and there. We’ve no desire to go to places like Bali, it just doesn’t interest us at all. And we keep away from the coast - we like inland waters but we’re not fussed about the ocean... we love the people you meet, especially those in the country, they’re generally more relaxed and down to earth so we’re far more at ease there”. Covid tapped the pause button on Adrian and Jenni’s travel plans for a while, but they have recently come back from an amazing trip to Mingenew. “We just spent a month volunteering for BlazeAid,” explained Adrian. “It’s a volunteer group that helps fix fences for farmers after they’ve been damaged by natural disasters. The Brigadoon bushfires happened a few months ago, and they had a cyclone go through too, all the way from Northampton to Esperance. It wiped out the fences, farmers had livestock running around the place. We helped them get their fences back in shape. It’s a great volunteer group, you can go and be part of the team whether it’s a day or a month”. With travel on the mind, they now have their sights set on future trips. “We want to go back to England and have a look when we can,” said Adrian, “there’s lot of places we’ve seen, but a lot we haven’t. Other than that, we’re happy to keep travelling around Australia.”
Adrian with his WA Police Service Shield
Natural storytellers Adrian and Jenni have kept an impressive document of their travels, with their storytelling not only enjoyed by close family, but a long list of friends who have subscribed to their mailing list! “It’s really just a personal history for us,” explained Adrian. “Jenni would take notes while we travelled and I took photos, and after a few weeks I’d get the urge to write about where we’d been. It was for the rellies who wanted to know what we were up to, and for friends that couldn’t travel themselves. We started emailing it to them, then others started asking for them too so the list got bigger and bigger. It’s just evolved, we have about 30 or 40 on the email list now!” Adrian plans to convert his stories into a book one day, and it won’t be the first time he’s turned his hand to being an author. “I’ve written a story of my life and made it into a book, it’s a personal book, so my version of my life,” said
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Resident Story
Jenni & Adrian with the Buick he restored
Adrian. “It was three or four years ago when I finished it. I just made three books, one for myself and one each for my two kids”.
Active members of the SwanCare community The ability to travel is very important to Adrian and Jenni, and it’s one of the reasons they enjoy living at SwanCare. “If we want to go away we can just shut the door and go,” said Adrian. “It’s safe and secure here…not only that, but it’s a very well-run establishment, and the staff are lovely”. Aside from travel, Adrian and Jenni have plenty of other hobbies to fill their busy lives. “Jenni loves to cook, sew, chat and spend time in the garden,” said Adrian. “I like playing in the shed with mechanical or wooden things, and tracing up my family tree – I haven’t time to get bored. And I’ve restored an old motor car which was a big job, it took three years!”
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Jenni & Adrian at Great Priory, 2014
Adrian’s love of the motor extends to his volunteering duties too, as you can find him at the Whiteman Park Motor Museum chatting away to visitors. Adrian has some great stories to share, and he’s a lovely person to chat to. If you see him around SwanCare, be sure to ask him if you can see his travel diary - you’ll certainly understand why he has the travel bug with a lifetime of anecdotes (and I’m sure he has plenty more still to come!)
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Resident Story
One of Margaret's many theatre productions
Musical Margaret For SwanCare resident Margaret Jones, life without music would be dull. Her natural melodic flair is demonstrated not only in her ability to sing and dance, but also through the musical compositions that she has created over the years. Margaret’s talents have brought her to the stage on numerous occasions, spreading joy to others in communities around Perth, including our own SwanCare residents. They say everything happens for a reason, and music is behind the reason why Margaret chose SwanCare as the place to call home. She began talking to residents while visiting SwanCare with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of WA. The Society is renowned for bringing entertainment to the people of Western Australia since 1951. It features respected Musical Directors and has been frequented by many famous singers and actors. In 2016 Margaret and the Society's Choir ‘Savoy Opera Chorale' performed 'The Sorcerer' at SwanCare. The following year she was the Director of the show 'Princess Ida', then she was back again in 2018 in the performance of 'The
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Zoo'. It was following these positive experiences at SwanCare that she thought about coming to live here, and the move was made in 2019.
Passionate about performing Margaret's passion for the arts began as a young child, no doubt inherited from her musically talented family. She learned to play the piano at the early age of four, on a piano previously owned by her Mother and her Grandmother. She sung in School and College Choirs and began ballroom dancing as a teenager. It seemed Margaret was destined to have a career in the arts, yet her dream job was to be a school teacher. She worked hard and achieved her goal, but music was never far away. "While teaching at Applecross High School, a staff member asked me if I liked singing, and if I wanted to come along to the Gilbert & Sullivan Society," explains Margaret. “I joined and it was wonderful – I ended up meeting my husband there!” Margaret’s husband had performed quite a few principal roles in the Society's productions at His Majesty's Theatre. "I sang in the Chorus in two shows at the ‘Maj’, when he
was offered a position in the School Psychology Service with the Department of Education WA. After 14 years of working with Teachers, Students, and Parents in the Education field, she decided to work privately with the Department of Family and Children's Services assessing couples who had applied to adopt children. "It was a really interesting time and so different from my previous work.” explained Margaret. “It involved interviews with couples, finding out everything about them, writing a report and making recommendations as to their suitability to adopt. The adopted children mainly came from overseas countries.” Margaret speaks with great passion about her work with the Department, which is no surprise considering the life-changing decisions she made on a regular basis for families in Australia. Margaret in her communal garden
was the Judge in ‘Trial By Jury’, and Jack Point the Jester in ‘Yeomen of the Guard’."
A love of education Margaret’s love of education was the foundation to her 14-year teaching stint in secondary schools, both public and private. At the time, her husband was also an academic at the University of Western Australia. He completed his PhD in Edmonton, Canada, where the family lived for two and a half years. On returning to Perth, Margaret found herself enjoying a busy lifestyle. “It was a very busy period of my life!” said Margaret. “I worked part-time as a teacher, studied for a Psychology degree at UWA, and had children and household to manage - but you make it work”. After finishing her Bachelor of Psychology and becoming a Registered Psychologist, Margaret
As always, the draw of music was never far from her gaze. “When I left the Department, I went to a COTA meeting in 1999 where people were talking about what they were going to do for the International Year of Older Persons,” said Margaret. “I spoke to two ladies who said their plans were to write and perform a play and a musical. They invited me to join and I became a member of that theatre group for 7 years. The group wrote their own scripts, lyrics and music, as well as using well known songs if it was required for the show.” Margaret and the theatre group mostly performed at the Don Russell Performing Arts Theatre, but also, in other venues when they were invited. "We were invited to perform our songs at a Senior's Concert in The Crown Theatre in 2002, which was a highlight for me," said Margaret. "It was a marvellous time of my life and have many fond memories," Said Margaret. “I composed some of the music and lyrics, while there were others in the group who could write words and would ask me to put those words to music.”
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Resident Story
Singing at the opening of Pioneer Womens Memorial in Kings Park, 2001
The show must go on
Margaret ballroom dancing as a teenager
The shows Margaret performed in usually had a theme, such as ‘The Day Women got the Vote’ or ‘The International Year of Volunteers’ and ‘The 175th Anniversary of the Foundation of Western Australia’. Many of the shows were ‘Morning Melodies’ at the Theatre, such as ‘We'll Meet Again’ and ‘Supercalifragilistic’. Margaret reminisces fondly about the feeling of performing on stage, “I loved it!” said Margaret. “When you’ve got an audience and you know they’re with you – you know they are appreciating what you’re doing – that feeling is fabulous! One time I was singing on stage and the song had some funny lines in it and I heard someone laugh. It just made me really grateful for what I had put into song – it’s such a lovely feeling doing something you enjoy that others are enjoying too.” After retiring Margaret found time to be a volunteer at Perth Airport. "I volunteered there for 14 years, it was also a very enjoyable part of my life," said Margaret.
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Margaret's piano had to be given away to friends as there was not enough room in the apartment, but she has a small keyboard that she still plays from time to time. Her vocal cords are also still getting a good workout as an active member of 'The Savoy Opera Chorale', who are rehearsing ‘Trial by Jury’ for a concert in August. When Margaret is not partaking in something music-related, she is very sociable and meets up with friends twice a week at the Coffee and Catch Up Club. Margaret has had many twists and turns in her life and has enjoyed many different interests acquired through her ability to adapt to new experiences. Though one common thread has always been music. "I've always loved singing and dancing, both as much as each other, I couldn't possibly choose one over the other," said Margaret. "I have a bad knee so I cannot dance as much now. I would have joined the Line Dancing Group here at SwanCare otherwise. I might be able to do a little and I am thinking about it, but I do have to be careful." I’m sure the Line Dancing Group would love to welcome you to the community, Margaret. Thanks for chatting with us! Do you know a resident with an interesting story worth sharing? Contact the Marketing Team on 6250 0000 or email: tidings@swancare.com.au
Gardens Interest Group
Prepare in Winter for Victory in Spring by Noelene Barnes After better rains in June and July, our native plants will soon be putting on a lovely show as spring approaches.
Camellia
If you have time for a trip to nearby Wireless Hill Park in early September, be sure to look out for the orchids blooming right by the pathways. You should see various orchids such as donkey, hooded, cow slip, blue orthrosanthus and spider orchids. You may also see dryandras, grevilleas, kangaroo paws, hibbertia (buttercups) and possibly smoke bush and lechenaultia. Jobs to do outside in the garden during fine spells include: • Trimming camellias and azaleas to keep them tidy and fertilise as they finish flowering. • Prune your roses if you haven’t done them yet – they always respond to a trim to remove old wood and let the air circulate to reduce fungal diseases. Spray after pruning with an all-purpose rose spray to keep scale and aphids under control, then lightly fertilise for beautiful blooms come spring. • Dead head bulbs as they finish flowering but keep feeding to promote next year’s flowers. • Keep up with your weeding – a little at a time before they go to seed saves a lot of work later. You can use Dipel spray to deter cabbage moths.
Azaleas
In your vegetable pots try sowing mixed lettuce for a colourful salad. You can start to plant your herbs, though you should wait for the warmer weather for basil. Lebanese cucumbers are smaller growing and ideal for pots, just have something for them to climb, and capsicums grow well in pots too. Start your tomatoes so they are ready to enjoy the warmer weather coming. The next Gardens Interest Group meeting is scheduled for Sunday 15th of August at 2pm in the Swan Centre. The topic will be on Native bees. Hope to see you there!
• If you don’t like squashing slugs and snails, lay bait to keep them under control. • Lightly prune native shrubs in September to keep compact and encourage flowers.
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Scam Watch
Cautionary Tales with SwanCare’s ICT Manager SwanCare’s Operations Manager of ICT, Colin Manes, started with SwanCare in 2016. Over his time here he has run small dedicated team to tackle the boundless IT requests and questions from staff and residents alike. The team is mostly here to ensure the corporate IT systems are running smoothly, but they can also provide assistance to the residents at an hourly rate.
even if you do answer the call please be aware that you might not be speaking to who you think it is. Be very wary if you give out personal details to anyone who has called you – you may wish to advise that you will call them back and provide the details after doing this,” advises Colin.
For Colin and his team, their service is as To help avoid being a victim over the important as the equipment they provide. Colin phone or online, Colin’s top tips are: says “my team’s guiding philosophy is that it’s not a matter of, ‘Here’s a computer. Have a nice • Don’t click links on unknown emails – log day!’ It’s about helping staff understand the into the website directly instead of using technology and feel comfortable with it. When links via email someone asks for help, we approach it from a • Avoid posting personal information in customer service perspective. And when we can, online forums or social media we try to educate people about technology issues that may affect them at home, such as security • Avoid providing your login details to anyone breaches that may be sensationalised in the but the official website – check the address media.” bar of your browser to confirm which site you are on In recent times the number of scams that people may come across has skyrocketed due to individuals being out of work with the pandemic. The ACCC reports that so far this year scammers have stolen more than $7.2 million from Australians by gaining access to home computers, an increase of 184 per cent compared to the same period last year – a scary thought!
Colin wants to arm our residents and staff with as much information as possible, so they can recognise a scam if they come across one. Common scams currently circulating are identity theft, advance payment scams, phishing emails, malware and scam phone calls. “A new type of scam phone call has started,” said Colin. “The scammers now have the ability to generate any fake mobile number when calling your phone.” “The only thing you can do is to only answer calls from mobile numbers you recognise, and 20 SwanCare
• Don’t rely on payment advice from other parties – always check your own bank account to confirm funds are in there and wait until transfer clears • Only provide personal or payment details over the phone when you have called them, don’t provide this information to anyone who calls you • If you do receive a call, advise that you’ll call them back and use the number listed in the phone book etc • When using online services check if it has two-factor authentication and use it • Keep your Anti-Virus up to date When talking about online issues Colin spoke about the importance of having a strong password and changing the password on a quarterly basis.
Scam Watch “I advise everyone to educate themselves about current scams, so that they can help protect themselves and even pass information onto friends,” said Colin. “Knowledge is power and you never know who you might help!” The following websites provide useful information about scams. Colin recommends that everyone should familiarise themselves with the information on there: Colin Manes, SwanCare Operations Manager of ICT
• www.scamnet.wa.gov.au • www.scamwatch.gov.au
“One of the recommendations is to now move away from using a ‘Password’ and move to using a ‘Passphrase’. A passphrase is a bit longer than a password, but more like a sentence. For example ‘I don’t like Pineapple Pizza’,” said Colin.
Colin also advises to avoid using the following things in your passwords: • Repeated characters • Arbitrarily mixed letters, numbers and symbols • Single dictionary words or numeric sequences (such as 1234567) • Personal information such as date of birth, street address, family/pet names • Anything you have previously used “The IT team is here to assist if you’re concerned that an email or similar is a scam. We can also assist if you think you’ve become a victim of a scam,” said Colin. “It is becoming apparent that we need to be extra vigilant with scams becoming harder to spot.” Colin’s role requires him to stay up to date through constant research and to combat against cyber-attacks on a company level. However, he that believes it’s important for individuals to ensure they are attentive too, as criminals are shifting to targeting individuals.
• www.cyber.gov.au (individuals and families) For those who don’t use the internet, Colin advises that you still need to be vigilant as the criminals get smarter. Sent documents can also be an illegitimate way to get through to those people without internet.
Colin’s tips for spotting a fake document are: • Generic rather than personal greeting • Names of organisations that don't exist • Poor quality presentation i.e. stretched or pixelated logo • Poor quality grammar and spelling • Overly official or forced language To learn more about these types of scams you can call WA Scamnet on 1300 304 054. For further SwanCare related questions, you can get in touch with Colin and his team by emailing: helpdesk@swancare.com.au or calling reception on 6250 0000. Thank you Colin and the whole ICT team for keeping us safe and aware of scams.
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Passions & Pastimes
De-stressing with Diamond Dots When you find something you are good at, it becomes a passion! For SwanCare resident Peta Machin, she was delighted to be introduced to diamond dot paintings. This niche form of art originated in China, which according to Google has only been around since 2017. It is similar to paint by numbers, but far more fancy! It involves placing small shiny dots (that resemble diamonds) on to sticky fabric using a stylus, with really interesting and sparkly results! “My carer asked me if I’d like to try it, so I had a go,” explained Peta. “I really enjoyed it and got the hang of it quickly. I found I was quite good at it, so I kept going!" Peta has been creating this art of just over a year now. “I go to the library every Sunday to do it and spend a good part of the morning there. It’s relaxing, I don’t feel any pressure as I’m not interrupted, I just get on with it.” said Peta.
Peta with one of her diamond dot paintings
When asked if she has always been the creative type, she answered modestly. “Sort of!” said Peta, “I’m not very good at drawing, but I’ve done a bit of painting. I’ve recently been painting an elephant and just finished it, but I prefer dots!” Peta’s dot paintings are varied in topics, from Mickey Mouse (her favourite so far), and most recently a picture of a dragon princess which she has just started. Peta’s working history is a far cry from her passion in diamond dots. She spent an impressive 30 years working in confectionary, making all sorts of creamy treats from an ice cream factory in O’Connor. “I really enjoyed working there,” said Peta. “You’d think I’d be sick of ice cream seeing it every day, but I still enjoy it now!” There are many art groups at SwanCare for residents to get involved in, but we haven’t yet got a diamond dot painting group.
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Close-up of Mickey Mouse diamond dots
Watch this space, Peta’s passion for the art could be contagious and result in a great community of dotters at SwanCare in the near future. Thanks for chatting with us, Peta! Do you have a passion you'd like to share? Contact the Marketing Team on 6250 0000 or email: tidings@swancare.com.au
Penny’s Book Review
‘Numbered Account’by Christopher Reich The author Christopher Reich was born in Tokyo in 1961 and had a career working in the private banking department of a major Swiss bank in Geneva. He eventually joined the bank’s department of mergers and acquisitions in Zurich, before taking up writing full time. He now lives in California and Switzerland with his wife and children. He has used his life experiences in the book ‘Numbered Account’ to create the character, Nicholas Newmann, who is a former US Marine and Harvard Business School Graduate. He seems to have it all, a dream job, a beautiful fiancée, a future bright with promise. However, under it all, Nick has a burning desire to find the people responsible for his father’s brutal death some eighteen years earlier. He joins the bank where his father worked and sets out to unravel the reasons and find the suspects involved in a dangerous secret and coverup for his father’s death.
Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, A tip from my grandson – how to translate language on your phone. Download the Google Translate App, open the app, press the camera button, hold your phone over any document or item and Google translates it into whatever language you request! - Maria Thank you for the handy tips, Maria! The Google Translate app is sure to help some people. - Ed
Numbered Account by Christopher Reich is available in the Bentley Park Library. Christopher Reich has written several other novels, which we are able to order in from the State Library. The novels include: • The Patriot’s Club - 2005 (large print only) • The Prince of Risk - 2013 (large and small print) • Invasion of Privacy - 2015 (large and small print) There is also a series: Simon Riske 1. The Take - 2018 (large and small print) 2. Crown Jewel - 2019 (large and small print) 3. The Palace - 2020 (small print only) Penny Felder
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Brain Teaser Link the capital cities with their country by drawing a line or numbering next to the correct country. Thank you again to Sue Lewis who supplied us with this quiz!
1. OTTAWA
FIJI
2. WASHINGTON DC
AZERBAIJAN
3. MEXICO CITY
EGYPT
4. MOSCOW
AUSTRALIA
5. NUUK
IRAQ
6. CARACAS
CANADA
7. JUNEAU
RUSSIA
8. OSLO
POLAND
9. STOCKHOLM
IRAN
10. LONDON
TURKEY
11. CAIRO
HUNGARY
12. SEOUL
GERMANY
13. MADRID
ROMANIA
14. LISBON
AMERICA
15. BUCHAREST
MEXICO
16. SOPHIA
GREENLAND
17. BERLIN
VENEZUELA
18. ROME
ALASKA
19. BUDAPEST
NORWAY
20. HELSINKI
SWEDEN
21. ANKARA
ENGLAND
22. ADDIS ABABA
SPAIN
23. ACCRA
PORTUGAL
24. SUVA
ALGERIA
25. TEHRAN
BULGARIA
26. KABUL
ITALY
27. WARSAW
FINLAND
28. HARARE
ETHIOPIA
29. NEW DELHI
AFGHANISTAN
30. ALGIERS
TUNISIA
31. BAGHDAD
SOUTH KOREA
32. TOKYO
GHANA
33. CANBERRA
SYRIA
34. DAMASCUS
JAPAN
35. BAKU
INDIA
36. TUNIS
ZIMBABWE
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Answers Ottawa – Canada Washington DC – America Mexico City – Mexico Moscow – Russia Nuuk – Greenland Caracas – Venezuela Juneau – Alaska Oslo – Norway Stockholm – Sweden London – England Cairo – Egypt Seoul – South Korea Madrid – Spain Lisbon – Portugal Bucharest – Romania Sophia – Bulgaria Berlin – Germany Rome – Italy Budapest – Hungary Helsinki – Finland Ankara – Turkey Addis Ababa – Ethiopia Accra – Ghana Suva – Fiji Tehran – Iran Kabul – Afghanistan Warsaw – Poland Harare – Zimbabwe New Delhi – India Algiers – Algeria Baghdad – Iraq Tokyo – Japan Canberra – Australia Damascus – Syria Baku – Azerbaijan Tunis – Tunisia
COUNTRY
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
CAPITAL CITY
Legendary Recipes
Meat Terrine by Maureen Grickage
Thank you to SwanCare resident Maureen Grickage for the recipe and the yarn behind it.
Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • •
500gm Pork mince 500gm Beef mince 1 Onion chopped finely 1 Capsicum chopped finely 4 Cloves Garlic chopped finely 1 tsp Paprika 1 cup Breadcrumbs ½ cup Parsley 2 tbsp Sour Cream 2 Eggs 2 tbsp Oil Salt/pepper to season
Glaze ingredients • • • • •
1 cup BBQ Sauce 1 cup Tomato Sauce 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp Brown sugar Salt/pepper to season
Method 1. In bowl one, mix all ingredients of Glaze until combined and set aside. 2. Lightly sauté onion, capsicum and garlic allow to cool. 3. In bowl two, mix pork and beef then add cooled veg, sour cream, paprika, chopped parsley and season to taste. 4. Add 2 eggs and oil, then add breadcrumbs (mixing slowly). 5. Refrigerate mixture 20 mins. 6. Shape mixture into loaf shape on baking tray. Tip: it's easier with damp hands. 7. Brush well with glaze all over top and sides, saving some for later. 8. Cook in oven at 180 degrees celsius for 50 mins. 9. Brush remaining Glaze being generous and cook for further 15 mins. Enjoy this wonderful recipe hot or cold!
Maureen loves to be social and enjoys making this recipe for friends as you can make it different every time. “I have made recipe loaf for many years it can be different each time by adding sliced mushrooms, or tinned butter beans, sometimes even corn - Whatever you like!” said Maureen. Maureen recently made this dish for a book club lunch. Although its name seems to have changed throughout the years. “I call it a terrine just to be a bit posh… but it’s still a meat loaf,” said Maureen with a laugh. Maureen has many happy (and funny) memories from when her mother used to make meatloaf in her childhood, as well as those memories she made with her family and friends more recently. “This meatloaf recipe has been one of my go to dishes throughout the years if I had to ‘take a plate’. This was not a concept we understood when we first arrived from Liverpool nearly 60 years ago. There were nine of us in my family and my Mum took nine empty plates to BBQ we were invited to, nobody minded because it was so funny, but we soon learned!” said Maureen. Do you have a recipe and story to share? We’d love to hear from you! Email tidings@swancare.com.au or drop off to SwanCare administration - thank you.
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Out & About
RSPCA donations from Handicraft Group and residents
The bowling green became an outdoor swimming pool after a recent downpour
Chess Club enjoying a game together
Graham Francis with Tom Hicks who has left the village to spend time with his family
The Bentley Park Show Committee sold chocolates to help fundraise for the event on
Learning to swim with our volunteer swim teacher, Sharon
Allsorts Choir practising their fantastic repertoire of songs
What’s On: Local Area Winter Lights Festival at Brookfield Place The Winter Lights Festival at Brookfield Place will once again transform the precinct into a thrilling light show, with this year’s collection of installations, projections and entertainment. It will be a celebration of the wonderful world of sports featuring projections by Electric Canvas, and thoughtprovoking light sculptures from Australian artists Zara Pasfield and Renzo B. Larriviere. The event will also feature performances ‘Roving Skaters’ and ‘Greek Olympias’ by Red Top Creations as well as ‘Sprites Sports Addition Edition’ and ‘Sports Bubbles’ by Fliptease. When: From 6:00pm each night 12th – 21st August
Concerts At One St George’s Cathedral’s ‘Concerts at One’ are an increasingly popular series on the Perth events calendar. These concerts provide an opportunity for talented students to perform in a unique environment to an appreciative audience. Featuring music students from Western Australian high schools, the Yoon Sen Lee Music School, the WA Academy of Performing Arts, the UWA Conservatorium of Music, and the UWA Music Students’ Society. Entry is free, with a retiring collection taken. When: 1:00pm, Wednesday 4th & 18th August and 1st & 15th September Where: St George's Cathedral 38 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Where: Brookfield Place 125 St Georges Terrace, Perth Info: www.bfplperth.com
Bell Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare’s classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is reawakened in this breathless production brimming with magic, mirth and mayhem. This event is inclusive and fully accessible. There are fantastic options available for Captioned & Auslan Interpreted Performances or Audio Described Performance w/ Tactile Tours. When: 7:30pm – 9:30pm, 4th to 7th August
Boost Your Wellbeing Workshop Most of us know how to become more physically healthy, but did you know it is possible to become more mentally healthy too? Join us this workshop focused on boosting your well-being through self-care strategies and building up your resilience. Topics discussed will be resilience, managing stress in difficult times, mental health strategies and support services available that you can access. When: 5:30pm – 6:30pm, Monday 16th August Where: Willetton Library 39 Burrendah Boulevard, Willetton Register: online at www.eventbrite.com.au
Where: State Theatre Centre of Western Australia - 174-176 William St, Perth Cost: From $49 Book: https://tickets.ptt.wa.gov.au/events/amidsummer-nights-dream-ptt-stc
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swancare.com.au 26 Plantation Drive, Bentley WA 6102 | Phone: (08) 6250 0000 | Fax: (08) 9470 2017
SwanCare Bentley Park's on-site grocery store and hair dresser
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We welcome contributions to the Tidings. Please post or email to: Mailing Address: 26 Plantation Drive, Bentley WA 6102 Email: news@swancare.com.au
Pacesetter Laser Recycled is 30% recycled and made from elemental chlorine free bleached pulp sourced from sustainably managed sources. It is manufactured by an ISO certified mill.