NEWS DESK
FRESH start for epilepsy help Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A SUPPORT group for epilepsy sufferers in the south east region has been established in Frankston. Seaford resident Sue Summer’s daughter Rebekah has lived with epilepsy for 23 years and the duo decided to set up a forum, with the help of The Epilepsy Foundation, for those affected by epilepsy and their carers (‘Building foundation for epilepsy help’, The News 29/10/14). An information session held at Patterson Lakes Community House in October was attended by “about 60 people”, according to Ms Summers. As a result of the information session “about 25 people” registered to go to monthly FRESH - Frankston Region Epilepsy Support Group meetings - support meetings at St Francis Xavier Parish church in Frankston. “The church has allowed us free access to their hall which is lovely,” Ms Summers said. April’s meeting will be held at the new Clair De Lune restaurant at 20 Beach St, Frankston because the church was pre-booked that month. Its owner David Mooney has agreed to open up the French restaurant specifically for the group’s April meeting. Before the Frankston epilepsy support group was established Sue and Rebekah travelled to Melbourne to attend The Epilepsy Foundation meetings. This journey could be stressful. Monthly meetings in Frankston have been held since November and
Car free day KINGSTON families are being urged to swap steering wheels for bike wheels for National Ride2School Day. Mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill encouraged all local families to leave the car at home this Friday (13 March) to help children get a healthier start to the day on National Ride2School Day. “Students, parents and teachers are encouraged to ride, walk, skate or scoot to school to help promote a more active, healthy lifestyle.” “It is important that children get a good start to the day. Cycling, walking, skating or scooting helps children to feel fresh and more alert at the start of the school day,” Cr Gledhill said. “I can understand that the morning routine can be quite a rush for many families, but by leaving just a few minutes earlier many children could be walking or riding to school instead of hopping in the car.” “While the weather is still good, now is the perfect time to get more active, help our young people learn about road safety and cut down on traffic congestion around our schools.” Schools can register at bicyclenetwork.com.au
New group: Sue and Rebekah Summers are reaching out to those who experience epilepsy to share the burden. Picture: Yanni
Charity gig
Sue invites anyone in the south east with experience of epilepsy to attend as often as they like. “People have been bursting with things to talk about. They really want to connect with one another,” Ms Summers said. “Maybe people who are diagnosed with this may often feel they have nowhere to go, particularly as the
CHELSEA Longbeach RSL will host a charity concert this Sunday (15 March) at 3.30pm to raise funds for musician Wayne Higgins who is suffering from severe leukemia. Glenn Shorrock and Mike Rudd are among the performing artists. Entry is $25 at the door or call 0434 727 605. Entry includes five raffle tickets with prizes and auctions to be held.
peninsula is a long way from The Epilepsy Foundation and its services. “This group and their stories may highlight the need for more resources in this area, fill in some of the gaps for those that may feel left by the wayside and be a stepping stone for that process.” n The next meeting of the epilepsy support group will be held at Clair
De Lune restaurant, 20 Beach St, Frankston on Saturday 14 March, 1-3pm. Future monthly meetings will be hosted at St Francis Xavier Parish, 60 Davey St, Frankston on the second Saturday of each month, 1-3pm. Call Sue Summers on 0407 509 519 or email mackscreek@optusnet.com. au for further information.
Danger flagged as boats, swimmers in mix Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au KINGSTON Council has taken up a fight to reinstate a no-boating zone off Aspendale beach on behalf of residents. Parks Victoria moved a no-boating area from in front of the Gnotuk Avenue carpark section of the beach two years ago. A no-boating zone sign was removed from the carpark and the zone was moved 200 metres north. Councillors unanimously agreed to write to Parks Victoria to request the no-boating zone be reinstated to its original location. Cr Tamsin Bearsley said Aspendale residents fear a serious accident
could occur in waters shared by vessels and swimmers and want the noboating zone moved back to its original location. “The beach in front of our Gnotuk Avenue carpark is one of our busiest in Kingston and the result of the post being moved is that jet skis, boats, swimmers and children playing in the water are now all sharing the same 200 metre strip of water. It is a safety issue.” Cr Rosemary West said “the location of boating posts has been a big issue for the association of Bayside municipalities and there are a number of problems like this [at Aspendale beach].” Cr West noted the beach in front of Carrum Sailing Club had been des-
ignated a “no-boats zone” making it impossible to launch boats there but this had been changed. “These things need compromise. It seems to me that Parks Victoria should have a process where when these problems emerge they can be dealt with when a community is clear about what it wants.” A “Parking Victoria person” had met with Kingston Council when the boating and no-boating zones came in to hear concerns but then “did nothing”, according to Cr West. Cr Bearsley said “it’s not council’s responsibility, it is Parks Victoria” but council is “here to advocate for our residents and this is a way we can do that.” Parks Victoria local ports and wa-
terways senior manager Victor Teoh said “the Aspendale swimming only zone was shifted 140 meters north to line up with Gnotuk Avenue”. “This change provides a more centred alignment of the swimming only zone with the life saving club and also aligns the southern boundary with Gnotuk Avenue making locating the boundary easier to identify from a distance.” Mr Teoh said Parks Victoria is ensuring all boating zones across Port Phillip and Western Port are safe, easy to identify and also easy to comply with. Danger zone? Parks Victoria changed an area offshore at Aspendale beach from a no-boats zone two years ago. Picture: Gary Sissons
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 11 March 2015
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