Women in Business - Cath Fowler

and social connection, for intergenerational sharing and enjoyment, and for quiet solace.

Sawtell Catholic Care has really expanded over the last few years, with your Stage 7 New Release apartments, Home Care Service and now The Link. How does the future look for your organisation?

The bigger picture strategy for SCC as a not-for-profit charity is to ensure our care and services are sustainable, and able to support our community consistently into the future. We cannot do this as an organisation unless we maintain a sound trustworthy business.

Inspired to actively serve our community with Christian compassion, the context creates the need and sharpens our purpose. Sound financial and organisational governance have increased our capacity to support this mission, particularly in care and social housing support for those financially and socially disadvantaged. In a challenging and often commercialised world, generations to come will benefit from prudent oversight of this mission focus.

Once we get The Link fully operational, on the horizon for us is developing a new social and affordable housing project to help people in housing crisis; also, an Early Childhood Education Centre,

Inspired to actively serve our community with Christian compassion, the context creates the need and sharpens and new specialised Palliative Care and our purpose. dementia support suites for Mater Christi. Our mission never stops, its ongoing and we are called to keep nurturing it. Anything is possible when you have the will and commitment from a great team.

Thanks Michael.

Michelle Royce has just been newly appointed as the Operations and Community Engagement Manager overseeing The Link Project, so Focus wanted to know more…

MICHELLE R O Y C E

Congratulations Michelle on your new role, although you are no stranger to Marian Grove, are you?

Thank you, I’m no stranger at all, having been part of the Sawtell Catholic Care staff team in various roles for just on 15 years now.

What do you hope to bring to the community with The Link Project?

I’m looking forward to the time when we’ve finished the preparation and commissioning of The Link site and we can start inviting the community to bring the space to life and make it thrive. The site itself is beautiful but without people it’s just a beautiful, empty garden. We’ll be opening in stages over 2022, with a Grand Opening tentatively scheduled for later in the year, around Spring.

Tell us about the various areas and buildings within The Link area and what they have to offer?

The site itself is modelled after fabulous community spaces like “The Grounds” in Alexandria and “Camperdown Commons” in Camperdown. Our Assets

I’m looking forward to the time when we’ve finished the and Project Manager Steve Laidley along with preparation and architect Jim Booth from commissioning of Casa Koala, Landscape The Link site and we Designer Claudia Nevell can start inviting the of Garden Expressions, community to bring Interior Designer Lisa the space to life and Daniel of The Design make it thrive. Cupboard and our builders FM Glenn have done a great job putting it all together, as have the cast of thousands involved in the work. We’ll be thanking them all formally when we have our public opening.

As you enter the site, you pass Reception and The Pavilion, a multifunctional gallery space facing into the garden and opening out onto an amphitheatre lawn. We envisage that this area will host meetings, exhibitions, concerts, and other community gatherings.

Straight ahead from the Pavilion is The Potting Shed and Playground area. The Potting Shed is a community gardening space, with raised garden beds partly for the use of our own residents, but we’re also going to work with various groups who will benefit from engaging in this kind of activity.

Then of course the Café that so many locals already know will be opened to the public when we find the right tenant/partner and last but by no means least, The Bungalows.

These are the original, refurbished mudbrick residences of the former owners, the Cockbain family, and have some wonderful historical features such as timbers from the old Coffs Jetty. The Bungalows’ point of difference is a fabulous deck area that cantilevers out over the pond – a perfect spot to relax, unwind and watch the wildlife. This space will also be used for various purposes including our day respite program, which is in development now.

Sawtell Catholic Care is a large complex, with many lifestyle and home choices, and a strong connection to the local community. How does The Link fit into all of this?

The Link increases the lifestyle choices we already offer our Marian Grove and Mater Christi residents, with access to the gardens for events, activities, walking, picnics and spending time with visiting family and friends in a serene, secure environment. They’ll have an easy walk or ride to the Café when it opens and if they choose, they can get their hands in

It’s intended to foster the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our residents and the wider community through the soil to make something beautiful grow in the community garden. We’ll be working out just how The Link will fit into the scope of the wider Coffs community over the next 12 months, taking social connection and it stage by stage to ensure that it fulfills its engagement. wonderful potential as an inclusive hub where people of all ages and abilities can connect with nature, and each other. The Link was designed with accessibility in mind for all visitors, from older people to differently abled, to those living with dementia. It’s intended to foster the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our residents and the wider community through social connection and engagement. It’s not called “The Link” for nothing! If people want to find out more, they can sign up to our monthly e-news on the Sawtell Catholic Care website www.scca.net.au and they’ll get regular information on our progress. You can also follow us on Instagram @The Link.

Thanks Michelle.

D E S I G N

Accent Bath has been a pillar of the Coffs Coast business landscape for more than 30 years. Locally owned and operated, this business has been on a remarkable journey recently. Lead by Business Manager Mathew McKinnon, the amazing team has always valued their customers over anything else, and wants to take you on the journey of their evolution, as they become part of another family-owned business... and launch their new brand. Design 10 is a showroom concept being rolled out by the Independent Hardware Group. It has been created with the idea of providing a space where a customer can get inspiration and make selections with the help of a passionate and knowledgeable team. Each Design 10 can be famous for something different, but ideally it’s a one-stop-shop, with offerings around kitchens, bathrooms, laundries as well as flooring and cladding. The brand transition is a really exciting opportunity for Accent. We are getting in at the ground floor of this national expansion plan and we are looking forward to being part of the huge potential growth we can see. As we already run a very successful e-commerce platform as part of Accent Bath, we will continue to manage this side of Design 10 from Coffs! Which is a great thing for our local area. We offer a quality products that are on-trend, functional and affordable. Design 10 will be a whole new world of home design. We are introducing kitchens and laundries to our Coffs showroom later in 2022, along with a huge range of kitchen appliances at a reasonable price. We will continue to provide a beautiful selection destination and an inspirational space to help with a vision for your next renovation or build. From the working displays to our vast range of tapware and vanities, it all helps our personal consultants bring your ideas to life. The best part is? It’s all under one roof.

Previously Accent Bathrooms

Book your design consultation today!

Same great team. Same great showroom. Same great product. Same great service

P: 02 6652 9322 E: coffsharbour@design10.com.au A: 2/12 Isles Dr, Coffs Harbour

www.design10.com.au

Colour as an Antidote for2022

PERRY HOMES As we reflect on the past two years, WE CAN SEE THAT THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 have seeped into varying levels of our lives.

We are all spending much more time at home, visiting with family and close friends and looking after our own mental and physical wellbeing.

Perry Homes has noticed a shift with the way people engage with their home, particularly when it comes to interior design and colour choices.

New Home Consultant Tracey Lavelle commented “In the new post virus world, we can see that colour will play an important role in helping to keep our minds calm, to relax our body and to help maintain our mental wellbeing at home.”

Many trend reports predict anxiety, fear and stress as the key drivers to a new trend surfacing called Self-Care. A concept that places greater importance on our overall health, emotional, physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing.

Perry Homes has noticed this shift in their clients’ aspirations for their new home. Tracey added “Nature has become a big inspiration when it comes to choosing a colour palette for our clients’ homes. We can create calm and wellness using colour psychology in our own sanctuary.”

In home décor, the shift in colours has very much turned from cool shades to warm natural colours and this is set to grow.

The colours that people are now drawn to are soft, earthy, whimsical and warm, and above all they are very easy to live with.

We asked Tracey what her favourites are, and here are her tips!

“I love the natural pallet of whites blended with blues, greens and pinks. Don’t be afraid of colour in your home,” said Tracey.

The New Whites

Warmer shades of white are coming back, they are soft off-whites with just a touch of ochre or pink to give them a cocooning effect in our homes, making us feel warm and cosy.

Try Dulux Casper White Half, Dulux Natural White or Dulux Beige Artefacts.

Balancing Blues

Blue is the most universally liked colour. Reflective of the sea and the sky its calming effect on us is quite immediate physically. Blue is also a trustworthy colour, a stable colour and a great one to use to bring calm and peacefulness to our homes. Blues inspire coastal looks so think about blue shades found in nature for inspiration.

Try Dulux Cameo Blue Half, Dulux Blue Shell, Dulux Niche.

Calming Greens

Green is symbolically the colour of nature and wellbeing. It’s no surprise that blue and green look amazing together in a room, these shades bring the outdoors in, to calm and invigorate us at the same time. Forget the old saying that blues and greens should never be seen, because in nature they are all around us.

Try Dulux Powdered Gum, Dulux Herbalist, Dulux Soft Fresco.

Perfect Pink

We have seen the rise of what has been called ‘Millennial Pink’, now that pink has morphed to a warmer blush pink with a more earthy tone. Part of the desert palette, earthier pinks have a calming effect. The trick to pink is a little goes a long way, so try it as an accent - it pairs beautifully with sage greens, dusty terracotta shades and natural rattan.

Try Dulux Yolande, Dulux Pancake Mix, Dulux Maiko. For more inspiration, visit one of Perry Homes display homes today or contact Tracey on 0434 499 829 or

tracey.lavelle@perryhomes.com.au

focus_contributor.

REAL

ESTATE

with CHRIS HINES

FROM UNREAL ESTATE

There are real estate investing “tricks” and techniques that you may know, or want to know. There are new ways of doing things that are worth learning.

Knowing about the latest types of financing is another way can also help. Before all of these, however, you need to learn some basic principles. Here are six of them. 1. Build relationships. 2. Understand the numbers. 3. Reduce risk. 4. Be prepared. 5. Set goals. 6. Learn, and apply what you learn.

Real Estate Investing Principles 1. Real estate investing is about

relationships. People are your most valuable resource, and the more of them you know, the more likely you are to find good properties to buy, or buyers for your properties. Ask people for their names, and if your memory is poor, take notes.

Know the right people too, including a real estate agent who gets many listings of the type you are interested in. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were the one he/she called first? Talk to the agent, develop a rapport. Ensure that you are on their database and email lists for new properties and/or property news.

2. Know and understand the relevant

numbers. When you look at a rental property, for example, you should be thinking about the income, the expenses, and the capitalization rate, or “cap rate.” Imagine how certain changes would allow you to raise the income, and what that would do to the value.

A “feeling” about a property, without understanding the numbers, gets many investors into trouble. Remember too that things can go wrong and repairs may have to be made, take this into account. Also if it’s a strata property, remember there are levies to be paid in the future as well as council rates.

3. Look for and use methods to reduce

risk. Have inspections, financing, and other clauses in the offer, or contingent on it so you’ll get your deposit back when a deal falls through.

Consider your exit strategy before you buy, and have a “plan B.” Value real estate using comparables or cap rates, not “hunches.” If borrowing, the bank will normally insist on a valuation to ensure you are not overpaying.

4. Be prepared for real estate investing.

You never know when you’ll see a property for sale, or hear about one. Sometimes, when you mention that you invest in real estate, sellers, buyers and other investors suddenly appear with information, opinions, and sometimes even good deals. Be prepared.

5. Create action-oriented goals, not just

wishes. For example, require yourself to look at a certain number of properties per week, and maybe even to write a certain number of offers each month. Set goals for all sorts of little steps, like making six phone calls per week, checking online listings twice per week, and so on. Action creates

Sometimes, momentum. Repeated when you action creates habits, mention that you and good habits lead invest in real estate, to more successful sellers, buyers and real estate investing. other investors Above all always look suddenly appear for opportunity, but be with information, opinions, and ruled by your head not your heart. 6. Keep getting sometimes even educated, and using good deals. that education. Learning more from books, magazines and even podcasts are a great idea, as long as you spend as much time doing something as reading about it. Some of us let the interest and enjoyment of reading about investing get in the way of actually investing. Good information is crucial, but it should lead to good real estate investing.