Sir Roden Cutler Charities Wheel Chair Roll

It was my great pleasure to welcome everyone to the Sir Roden Cutler Charities Wheelchair Roll on Wednesday. I was invited to officially open this event. I spoke about and recognised the work that goes unnoticed. Work that is done each and every day by ordinary people. This work involves assistance to allow people with a disability to remain living at home. Parents, children, friends and neighbours do this work and these people are carers.

We had also gathered to witness the presentation of a donation to a local organisation that provides a valuable service to people with a disability. The recipient organisation strives to provide children with a disability the chance to get out in the world and enjoy the vast benefits of the outdoors. To encourage ideas and life skills, stimulate the body and brain and enhance social skills by learning and enjoying sailing. The organisation that received the donation was the Anson Street School's sailing program.

Sir Roden Cutler Charities is based in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and is known as the charity that helps out when no-one else can, or does. Its aim is "to relieve persons in Australia in necessitous circumstances". It does this in three areas:

• provides transport assistance to and from medical or hospital appointments on a day to day basis (Pick-Me-Up program)


• supports carers with personal assistance as needed through the Caring for Carers program


• provides material and financial assistance as required (after assessment) through a Special Circumstances Grants scheme.

The 2008 Orange Credit Union Sports Awards

There was quite a crowd at the Orange Ex-Services Club this Saturday night and for good reason. It was the 2008 Orange Sports Awards. Three major awards were handed out including the senior and junior sports person of the year as well as the team of the year.

Cyclist Charlie Gascoyne won the senior award. The junior award was shared between basketballers Mitch Mavrak, Eliza and Bernadette Barden. Orange's State League netball side was named the team of the year.

The finalists covered a wide range of sports including netball, cycling, basketball, tenpin bowling, hockey, rugby league, boxing and more.

There was also the induction into the Orange's Sporting Hall of Fame with marathon runner Kate Smyth and pistol shooter Dean Brus gaining entry.

I shared the evenings proceedings with my wonderful husband Paul and enjoyed meeting the candidates and their families throughout the evening. These type of functions are fortunate also to go ahead with the sponsorship of local businesses and the Orange Credit Union was the sponsor for this event and should be acknowledged for their support.

Congratulations to all the people and teams nominated and of course to the winners and recipients to the Hall of Fame.

Request to write for Country Womens Web

I have been approached recently to write in "The County Web" for the Rural Women's Network. The section is called Women in decision making and I speak about what motivates me, what I get out of being involved, obstacles I may have experienced, obstacles I have overcome, where I get support from and what my final message to other women wanting to be more involved in decision making. This has a been a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to share my experiences whilst supporting other women.
The newsletter should be available soon and can be ordered via the Rural Women's Network web-site at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/rwn If you live in NSW you can request a free printed copy via a mailing list again by contact at the website listed above.
I welcome contact with regards to my points of discussion and for future public speaking.