NOW LESS THAN 2 MONTHS TO GO! SUNDAY 24th NOVEMBER.
Co - President's Notes Tom Atkinson & Murray McKay
Dear Rotarians and Friends,
Last week we heard from Helen Creed about the importance of early childhood learning but more about her talk below. I would just like to emphasise how important this stage is in the development of every child because a good start to learning will keep the child engaged through school and beyond. I hope that our leaders can find a way to treat early childhood care a learning experience as well as a caring experience.
I, Murray, will be away for a few weeks as my oldest cousin is celebrating her marriage to her long-term partner. It will be a terrific opportunity to catch up with family and friends that I haven’t seen for several years. I’ll also be visiting my daughter and grandchild who is just starting her early education at the age of 9 months – there is no reason for Australia not to invest in the future in a similar way to Europe. The trip will be a great opportunity to celebrate the fact that ‘normal’ life continues despite the wars and divisions that are happening around the world.
We don’t really like to hear that WA is “way behind” in anything, but Helen Creed, who spoke to members recently, knows her stuff. Helen was suggested as a guest speaker by Rotarian Liz Palmer, and it proved to be a great suggestion. They are long term friends, and Helen says she knows Liz best as “Bib”. We didn’t get to hear why!
Helen, a former social worker, came to WA from Victoria many years ago. Her work with primary school teaching assistants stimulated an interest in Childcare, and it quickly became her passion. Helen prefers to use the term Early Childhood Education (ECE), as Childcare as we know it is much more than babysitting, although the pay rates continue to be among the lowest of all workers - $27/hour is the minimum, and a minimum of $32/hour for those with a university degree. Contrast that with the minimum $33/hour for the person stopping traffic while road repairs are underway!
Kids are born ready to learn, and their brain development is stimulated by ECE. Kids who have accessed ECE have a head start when they start compulsory education at 5 or 6 years of age. It has a life-long impact.
Helen, a former Executive Director of Children and Family Services in the WA Department of Communities, which licensed child care centres, was also the first Chair of REED - Regional Early Education and Development.
Helen’s focus has always been on regional access to ECE and she is a strong advocate for REED. The only way this can be delivered in the regions is via the non-for-profit sector, as the numbers don’t stack up for business investors. The ACCC has stated that market forces have failed to meet the needs in the regions, and the Productivity Commission is a strong advocate for ECE being totally free for those on low incomes. However there is a shortage of graduates so that's another matter needing urgent attention. In fact it’s the greatest challenge. No sense in creating demand if it can’t be filled.
So to make ECE readily available in regional WA, the government has to lead the way, and fortunately Helen’s career path led her to the senior levels of the state public service.
Thanks Helen for making us wiser about Childcare and to start understanding that ECE connects care and education for our precious pre-schoolers.
JacFest # 24, less than 6 weeks to go. BE PREPARED!
It does seem like just a few months since our last one, but Sunday 24th November is now fast approaching for our BIG EVENT once again.
Lots to be done by us in getting the message out to our market, having signage prepared and in place, and doing a complete check over all of the AxR assets that we have in store for the day.
Most of the stakeholder work has been completed, with various Agreements nearing completion or completed, Sponsorship finalised, entertainment booked etc, and certainly all of the Stall Holder scheduling in place.
However, plenty for AxR to do as mentioned above and please be prepared to help out where you can.
Next year is our 25th Anniversary JacFest so thinking caps will need to be donned to help with the planning for something special.
I have had absolutely No feedback on the suggestion to arrange for an AxR Merchandise stall for both the JF and our Perth Makers Market. We should see this as an opportunity to both add to our takings with a small array of saleable items and an engagement means for those manning our AxR stall.
As mentioned last week, Ascot Rotary and Bricktober make a real feature of this and benefit from both the profits on sales and the promotion of Rotary that it brings.
Don’t forget the Sundowner on Friday, 1st November at Peter and Danni McEwen’s home in Applecross.
More to follow but it will be a BBQ evening around their pool area.
Challenge: A significant volume of beds and hospital equipment has been donated and additional support to the RARE (Rotary Australia Repurposed Equipment) project is required to fund sending more containers overseas.
Solution: The RARE Project has this year committed to send two containers for regional hospitals in Cambodia and a second container to “Save the Mother” project at Burnanya Health Centre in Uganda. Requests have been received from Mongolia, Republic of Congo, PNG and Kenya for specific hospital equipment.
Impact: Repurposing equipment achieves sustainability by placing redundant equipment where it is needed and measurably improving environmental and social outcomes.
Project Name: Western Region RARE - Donations for Container freight & costs
Our target for 2024 is to raise $15,000, to allow beds and equipment to be delivered.
We are seeking Rotary Community support to achieve this. Please make your donation through the above link. A tax deductible receipt will be sent to you.
Club member Chris Whelan recently visited Busselton, where he and Lee explored the newly opened Rotary Remembrance Park, a remarkable project sponsored by the town’s two Rotary Clubs.
The park is beautifully designed, and once the eucalyptus trees reach full maturity, it will be even more stunning.
One of its most moving features is the “Peace Tree,” a gift from the City of Hiroshima. This tree is a second-generation seedling from one that was severely damaged in the atomic blast, yet miraculously sent out new shoots a year later.
If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a 15-minute visit.
Photo of the banner of the Rotary Club of Kelowna MorningSide being given into my care to present to Applecross Rotary upon my return, which will be 22nd October. How did I end up in Kelowna, the 3rd largest city in British Columbia? It started at the Jacaranda Festival in 2016 and guess what they wanted me to talk about?
Thank you particularly to those Rotarians and clubs who have done something positive in our communities during Mental Health Month. It’s encouraging to see many efforts coming to light, such as Lift the Lid Walks, art shows and golf days, Mental Health Week forums, panels and speakers, and family and community opportunities to chat over coffee or a sausage at Bunnings etc.
As you may be aware, Australian Rotary Health’s 20 year or more focus on mental health, particularly with its Lift the Lid program, has made Rotary across Australia a leading player in innovative research in this crucial area of family and community health. This is an area where Rotary has real credibility and strategic advantage for effective promotion.
In Western Australia this month we ask you to announce three initiatives briefly to members, families, friends and colleagues at your club meetings and in your newsletters etc:
ASK THE EXPERTS - Thursday 14 November 2024, John McGrath Pavilion (Hensman Street, South Perth) ARH WA and Perron Institute research scholars will present their 2024 community neuroscience forum - featuring some of WA's brightest new researchers in this field. RSVPs are now open at https://events.humanitix.com/arh-wa-perron-institute-ask-the-experts-2024
2024 Rotary WA ARH Mental Health PhD Awards - Nominations for the 2024 Awards, a statewide Vocational Service award, are open now until the 30 November deadline. Details of the early-mid April awards ceremony will be provided well beforehand.
2025 Mental Health Fair - ARH WA has opportunity for a prototype mental health event (within the Hyde Park Festival, March 2025 Labour Day Weekend). We would love to hear from Rotarians and their contacts passionate about family and community mental health and well-being, especially from those with great ideas on making it interesting, informative and engaging for families.
We particularly ask Rotarians and clubs to promote the Perron Institute forum across their networks, and on their social media. Social media content will be available via Facebook (RotaryWAhealth, Rotary Out West and hopefully Rotary Western Australia).
For further information, or to get involved, raise possibilities or contribute to these initiatives in any way, please contact your ARH WA team at ARHWAteam@gmail.com, or via RotaryWAhealth.
Yours in Rotary service
Warwick Smith Convenor, WA Team, Australian Rotary Health Rotary Western Australia Rotary 'Homeless Hub’ & Eye Contact ESRAG-WA Interest Group Passionate Rotarian & Past President, Heirisson Rotary Together, Everyone Achieves More! E: arhwateam@gmail.com
Fancy Plants Founder John Foss is on our menu for 2025
We are already booking speakers for 2025, and in the spirit of Caroline Robinson’s recent presentation, one is Muresk graduate and Wheatbelt grain grower John Foss, whose Nuffield Scholarship (https://www.nuffield.com.au/about) changed his life.
John will tell us more but (spoiler alert!) it led to him founding the Chia Company (https://thechiaco.com/au/) and more recently healthy snack food maker Fancy Plants (https://fancyplants.com/au). John made sure he managed the whole supply chain from growing the plants, to retailing products like Chia Pudding and Chocolate Silky Pot, at major supermarkets throughout Australia.
And coming up in the nearer future, Racecourse Vet Peter Symons will return for our annual Melbourne Cup breakfast on 5 November to explain why jockeys are “a necessary evil”, and immediately following Remembrance Day, former naval commander John Scott will tell us about Legacy in the 21st century, over breakfast on 12 November.
For centuries, people have gathered at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers in Calgary, Canada. Next year, it will be Rotary’s turn, as members, family, and friends worldwide will gather there for the 2025 Rotary International Convention, 21-25 June. Get a preview of what lies in store for those attending the convention in the September issue of Rotary magazine. And read about Canada’s fourth-largest metropolitan area, a big city without big city problems. Register now to be a part of the magic in Calgary in June.
1. Reply to invitation sent for VOCATIONAL visit to The Studio School. More information Liz Palmer 0403 267 419
2. Advise Lorri Brazier (0404 014 634) of your availability to volunteer for the Perth Makers Market on 3rd November.