Tidings February/March 2020

Retirement reimagined

Leisure Precinct officially opens

DAVID & PAT HALL SMALL THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Heather & Harry Williams Love & war - A lifetime of stories

Birds of Bentley Park

Local feathered friends

INSIDE THIS ISSUE CEO’S COLUMN | GENERAL NEWS | WHAT’S ON: LOCAL AREA

DECEMBER/JANUARY FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018 2020

tidings

26 Plantation Dr Bentley WA 6102 Phone: (08) 6250 0000 Fax: (08) 9470 2017 www.swancare.com.au twitter.com/swancare

Zucchini Slice - See Page 23

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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.

Pottery Club - See Page 13

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CEO’S COLUMN Leisure Precinct update

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SWANCARE NEWS

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NOTICEBOARD

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VILLAGE NEWS

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VILLAGE NEWS

Reports straight from SwanCare to you

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 resident Judith Mackintosh with SwanCare CEO Graham Francis.

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General Notices

Thank you Frankie & Ellen, group notices and more

Leisure Precinct officially opens

Birds of Bentley Park - See Page 16

Harry & Heather Williams - See Page 20

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POTTERY CLUB GOES TO A WEDDING Bonbonnieres bring wedding joy

PASSIONS & PASTIMES Birds of Bentley Park

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VOLUNTEERS CORNER

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GARDENS INTERESTS GROUP

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RESIDENT STORY

David & Pat Hall

This edition’s gardening tips

Heather & Harry Williams

David & Pat Hall - See Page 19

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RECIPE

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Zucchini Slice

SwanMobile & Events

OUT & ABOUT Photos from across the village

WHAT'S ON Events happening in the local area

PENNY'S BOOK REVIEW Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Tidings Magazine

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SwanCare News SwanCare Carson Street Program featured on ABC News SwanCare’s special partnership with Carson Street School was recently featured on ABC News.

CEO’S COLUMN Well, 2020 is in full swing and so are we.

There’s certainly a buzz around the streets of Bentley Park with independent living residents exploring the new amenities available at the Leisure Precinct.

One of the aims of this year will be to ensure that everyone fully enjoys the benefits of a more active and engaging retirement lifestyle.

A mantra I work by is ‘SwanCare is created by people’. What we truly offer is – not just bricks and mortar – but people. SwanCare is a community supported by dedicated and caring individuals, and without that dedication and caring we would simply not be who we are.

So of course, when it comes to the Leisure Precinct, we offer dedicated personnel available to help during working hours.

We are proud to welcome our new Community Living Coordinator, Ashleigh Fitzgerald. Ashleigh, who moved across from SwanCare Kingia, has been with the SwanCare team for seven years and comes with a wealth of knowledge and skills.

The initiative sees SwanCare Waminda residents form special friendships with young children with disabilities, becoming “adopted grannies and pops”.

The story was covered on ABC News' national website and Facebook page which garnered over 65,000 views of the story.

Eight Carson St School students visit SwanCare Waminda every Wednesday morning, where they spend time doing schoolwork with the help of their adopted grandparents.

SwanCare Waminda residents volunteer their time to help build the children’s reading and writing skills – and there’s usually some time left over to play games together too. The residents also help to show students the value of respect for others, which is an important part of the Carson Street School’s ethos.

SwanCare’s Diversional Therapy Coordinator Annemarie Kluvers said it’s been a joy to watch special friendships forming between young people and residents since the partnership kicked off in 2015.

“There is so much that young people can learn from older people – and vice versa,” Annemarie said.

If you’d like a tour of the facility, need assistance, or would like to book a space for an event or meeting, please speak to Ashleigh. Ashleigh’s office is on the ground floor of Mavis Cleaver Apartments.

“Not all of our residents have the chance to see their own grandchildren regularly, so they absolutely love the opportunity to spend time with their ‘adopted grandchildren’ from the Carson Street School.”

Call 6250 0320 or email ashleigh.fitzgerald@swancare.com.au

The SwanCare team are always looking for interesting stories to share with the media, so if you have one, feel free to contact us news@swancare.com.au

Please enjoy.

Graham Francis, SwanCare CEO

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The results show a combined Net Promotor Score (NPS) rating of 82. Above 50 is considered outstanding and above 70 is world class.

Residential care at SwanCare sets a new benchmark

RESPECT

The results from the 2019 SwanCare Residential Care Resident/Representative Survey are now complete, and paint a bright picture of the care provided at SwanCare.

97% of respondents...

Residents and their representatives (such as family members) from SwanCare Kingia, Tandara and Waminda completed the surveys in October 2019.

HEALTHCARE NEEDS

The results show an unprecedented level of satisfaction with a combined Net Promotor Score (NPS) rating of 82. The NPS, which asks the question - “How likely would you be to recommend SwanCare to a friend, another family member or colleague?” - is a renowned measure of client/consumer satisfaction. While anything above 0 is good, 50 is considered outstanding, and above 70 is world class.

The industry average for retirement villages in Australia is 22 (note, our NPS for the Bentley Park retirement village is 62), banks rank around 30 and airlines rank around 40, supermarkets also 40, telecommunication company’s around 37.

While SwanCare’s score this year has established a new benchmark, we aim to go even higher in 2020.

Other results from the survey are listed right.

...said I feel I am treated with respect, most of the time or always

99% of respondents... ...said that my healthcare needs are met, most of the time or always

HEARTFELT SERVICE 92% of respondents... ...said I feel I receive a heartfelt and genuine service experience, most of the time or always

SAFETY 95% of respondents... ...said I feel safe here, most of the time or always

STAFF KNOWLEDGE 91% of respondents... ...said they feel that the staff know what they are doing, most of the time or always

WWW.SWANCARE.COM,AU

Tidings Magazine

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SwanCare News Volunteers walk the line

Monty Cotton's Johnny Cash tribute show

SwanCare’s much-valued volunteers were honoured late last year with an afternoon of entertainment and refreshments.

The amazing “A Boy Named Cash” Johnny Cash tribute show, by Monty Cotton, rocked the socks off the auditorium with songs such as Walk the Line and Ring of Fire. We even had a guest appearance by our Management Accountant, Sinead, who belted out some ripping notes!

The highly esteemed Villagers of the Year were awarded to David Hall, Maureen & Ernest Webster, and Margaret & John Bouwhuis.

SwanCare Ningana opening just around corner SwanCare Ningana is close to completion, NINGANA with the keys due to be handed over shortly. Upon handover, the finishing touches will then take place including interior design furnishings, window treatments and staff equipment fittings. It is anticipated that the doors will officially open in April.

In addition to SwanCare Ningana, the Main Production Kitchen project is progressing well.

This kitchen will provide a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, which will improve and expand upon the existing catering services on offer at SwanCare. The space will also provide additional offices and a covered KingiaTandara connection.

On the other side of Bentley Park, works are finally complete on the new SwanCare Waminda kitchen, providing an upgraded space for the preparation of resident meals.

Doing it for the kids

Congratulations to you all and thank you again to all of our wonderful volunteers.

Bushfire appeal Thank you to the residents and staff who very generously donated to the SwanCare Bushfire Emergency Appeal!

A grand total of $14,417.80 was raised and donated to the Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal where 100% of all donations are being directed to communities in need.

Thank you for making a difference.

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SwanCare staff at Ronald McDonald House

In January, the SwanCare Administration team prepared a meal for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House Charities WA helps families of seriously ill children living far away to stay together while their child is having treatment. It was an absolute pleasure putting smiles on faces for those who are facing some hard days.

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Noticeboard Autonomous vehicle survey As a SwanCare resident, you are invited to participate in a research project on the topic of transport. The specific focus is the types of transport currently used by older people and attitudes to new and evolving forms of transport. The results will provide important information to policy makers and transport providers about older people’s transport needs.

The study is funded by the Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC) and is being conducted by researchers from Curtin University in collaboration with SwanCare.

This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Should you wish to continue with the study, a second optional survey will be available for completion in April 2020.

Please complete the survey online at www.bit.ly/avsurveyone

Please slow down in the Leisure Precinct Residents are reminded that the speed limit within the Leisure Precinct area is “walking pace”. This applies to scooters/ gophers/electric wheelchairs and all other forms of transport.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Long Walk Group – expressions of interest Expressions of interest needed for walks three times a week, 5km long. Fit males and females wanted.

Contact Nola on 0474 305 231

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Tech Hub almost ready

We're nearly ready to launch the HALO (Home Assisted Living Options) Technology Hub! The Hub will be open to seniors or other individuals with functional limitations to display products that assist home life. The Hub will be located on ground floor, Mavis Cleaver Court.

Have questions? Get in touch!

Call Joshua - Ph: 6250 0340 or email: info@halotechnologyhub.com.au

SwanMobile After receiving several reports of the SwanMobiles going over the speed limit, we had our golf cart technician check the speeds of the vehicles. The vehicles were found to be able to travel in excess of the recommended speed within the village.

The limits have now been reset to 15km/hr which is the maximum speed at which all vehicles are to travel within the Village and at Rowethorpe.

With this in mind, residents that use the SwanMobile service may find that they have to wait longer for the SwanMobile to get from point A to B. You are asked to book ahead and allow plenty of time to get to appointments.

Please remember that our drivers are all volunteers providing a much needed and much valued service for our residents.

If anyone has any issues, please contact Karen Parker at Admin on 6250 0010.

Thank you for your patience.

Village News New Year Greetings from the Village Residents’ Advisory Council By the time you read this article, the regular VRAC program will be underway. Our first Coffee Morning for the year is scheduled for January 21st, and Paul Grzelec will have given us his final update on the Leisure Centre project. Many people are already enjoying the meeting facilities as well as the pool and gym, and we are looking forward to the official opening in early February.

Shirley has an interesting program of speakers coming together for the year. We decided to re-instate some longer talks in addition to the speakers at the Coffee Morning, and these will probably be held on occasional Wednesdays.

We are trying to identify topics and speakers which will enhance our quality of life both personally and for our village community. If anyone has any ideas about a topic or knows of an interesting speaker, please let us know.

One of the main functions of the VRAC is to facilitate communication between residents and SwanCare administration. In order to develop this communication further during 2020, the Council will conduct some discussion groups around the village. Last year, some people participated in discussion groups about the village gardens, and this has given us some valuable information which can still be used. The completion of the leisure precinct will now allow us to refocus on the needs of the whole village site.

As mentioned previously, there are still vacancies on the Council. So if you would like to be a part of our activities, please get in touch.

Ellen Clair

Local Events Add to Activity In early February, a group of residents took the very short journey to Higgins Park to watch Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys at the Town of Victoria Park’s 'Jazz in the Park' event.

We had a beautiful time listening to live music, dancing and chatting with other locals. Thanks to the Town of Victoria Park and sponsors for having us, and also thanks to our bus drivers for your assistance.

Kingia/Tandara/Waminda Auxilliary After a two-month break we are back in business for another year. The first meeting will be held on Tuesday 25th February at 1.30pm in the auditorium. The guest speaker is aircraft maintenance engineer Alan Jupp.

Yearly fees of $10 are due - please place in an envelope with name and receipts will be issued later.

SwanCare Ningana is due to open soon and the committee would like help to come up with a new name. Kingia/Tandara/Waminda Auxilliary is a mouthful without adding to it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - give any committee member your ideas.

I will be away in February so please contact Lesley on 6250 0590 with any enquiries.

Phyl Leavy

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Village News

Opening of the Pavilion

Swan Village Bowling Club After our January committee meeting the club has started the New Year with two dates to mark on your calendar.

membership has increased. There is also a noticeable increase in the number of people who come to watch the bowls in progress.

March 12th will be our first social lunch day and 21st March will be our first gala day. As we do not currently have an official noticeboard, information of both functions will be placed on the noticeboard at the administration foyer and at the club rooms at the rink.

Night bowls commenced when we returned and we have been blessed with very pleasant evenings to enjoy a night of bowling. All residents are welcome to join us to try your hand at bowls at 6pm each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Since moving back to our new facilities, attendances have been very good and our

Jim Leavy

Line Dancing Another start to another year. Why not make that resolution to improve your balance and coordination and have some fun at the same time. You can just do the dances you want to or even just watch and join us for morning tea. Everyone welcome - we're a very friendly group.

Meet us at 9.30am Monday mornings in the Administration Auditorium. Please bring $1 to cover morning tea and other expenses.

Pam Hind

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Fish and Chips on Stratton The Committee would like to wish you all a very happy New Year.

Another successful fish and chip Friday at Fish 'n' Chips on Stratton in December. Celebrating with a Christmas theme, everyone was jovial and in high spirits.

A special last event for Frankie and Ellen - thank you for all your support! Ellen was such a big help at front of house and Frankie was a pivotal contributor to making the days bigger and better with ideas such as dĂŠcor, side salads, and the occasional sweet treat. The group will be sure to carry on the good work that has been established over the years! We wish you both well for the future!

Our first luncheon for 2020 will be in February. The entertainment is a group called "Bling". They are a group of three ladies who sing in harmony. We will be celebrating Valentine's Day. Our March luncheon will be on Friday the 6th March. The entertainers will be "Heart and Soul" and we will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day so remember to wear something green. Come along and enjoy this very popular event! The cost is $15 which includes drinks (red and white wine, beer, soft drinks and juice), nibblies, fish and chips served with a fresh garden salad. One hour of entertainment is followed by Afternoon Tea. Bookings can be made on the day for the following month or by phoning Lesley 6250 0590 or Pam 9470 4139. If your call is not answered, please leave a message and your phone number and we will return your call.

We look forward to seeing you in February.

Fish n Chips on Stratton Committee

Fish and Chips on Stratton Volunteers 2019

Thank you Ellen & Frankie Two members of the original Fish & Chips on Stratton Committee have now officially hung up their aprons - Ellen and Frankie.

In 2016 Frankie was the inaugural instigator of Fish and Chips on Stratton along with Ellen and eight other members. As you know, Frankie had a flair with decorating the Stratton Centre and continued to do so in the Auditorium.

It was Frankie’s idea of adding salads to be served with fish and chips and on special occasions sweets were added to the menu. She also made some delicious cakes for afternoon tea.

Ellen greets residents at the door each month, collects the raffle money and is a big help in the kitchen.

We wish both Ellen and Frankie all the best.

Residents at Fish and Chips on Stratton

The rest of the committee will definitely be carrying on the good work that Frankie has done.

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Village News

The Hon. Ben Wyatt MLA and SwanCare CEO Graham Francis

Leisure Precinct Officially Opens The doors to SwanCare’s new $20 million Leisure Precinct were officially opened by the Honourable Ben Wyatt MLA and SwanCare CEO Graham Francis on February 4, 2020.

Also in attendance were representatives from builders ADCO Constructions, architects Iredale Pedersen Hook and SwanCare residents.

“SwanCare has existed on this site since 1961 and much has changed over that time, yet this is the biggest single change we’ve undergone,” SwanCare CEO Graham Francis said. “The needs and expectations of retirees are continually evolving so to ensure our sustainability we have evolved too.

“The Precinct is absolutely world-class, and as a non-profit organisation we are humbled to see such an incredible facility here in Western Australia.”

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Local Member and Western Australian Treasurer Ben Wyatt was on hand to cut the ribbon.

“Throughout my time as local member for Victoria Park, I have been delighted to watch SwanCare continuously invest in the quality services they provide for local seniors in our community,” Mr Wyatt said. “SwanCare Bentley Park’s new Leisure Precinct is an incredible facility, which will offer SwanCare Bentley’s residents access to a broad range of recreational activities.

“I was so pleased to have the opportunity to officially open the new Leisure Precinct, and I look forward to continuing to work with such a wonderful organisation.”

Watch this space for further SwanCare Bentley Park resident opening events, once the final pieces of furniture and equipment are in place (such as snooker tables).

Pottery Club Goes to a Wedding

By Garry Black, SwanCare CFO Earlier last year my daughter Laina and her partner Ricky announced that they had decided to make the ultimate commitment and get married. Laina is my eldest and the first of my children to get married and Ricky is an only child so naturally the first on his side. I might have been a novice at these things but I am sharp enough to realise that weddings are typically the realm of those who can do more than one thing at a time – the ladies.

However, when the discussion moved onto bonbonnieres (thank you gifts for the wedding guests), I stepped up and suggested handmade ceramic bowls large enough to include a small gift. 'And where can these be come by?' came the chorus. Our very talented pottery ladies and gent immediately came to mind, so off I went to commission 80 such handmade and personalised ceramic bowls.

When I first proposed the idea to Ellen Clair in July of 2019, I think it probably felt like a task beyond the small group of enthusiasts who typically have a more relaxed approach to their craft. However, after some consideration, the idea grew – after all, a commercial price would

Very happy bride and groom

be struck and the funds raised could be put back into the club for more clay and equipment.

So over the course of four months and, with consultation along the journey, not just 80 but 130 bowls were produced for Laina’s review and final selection. I’m pleased to advise that the choice made, without knowing who made what bowl, included contributions from all of the potters.

At the wedding Laina had a display board with photographs of the production and the potters.

The unique and very special gifts were an outstanding success.

Bonbonnieres bowls all dressed up for the wedding

A big thank you to all the happy SwanCare potters from myself and the bride and groom. If you are looking to commission a personalised item - or many items - I can certainly recommend them!

Tidings Magazine

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SwanCare Ningana Residential Care - Opening Soon Setting the benchmark with dedicated care and world-class facilities SwanCare Ningana is a new residential aged care facility nestled within the integrated aged care and retirement community, SwanCare Bentley Park.

With an environment designed to keep people together in the latter part of life, SwanCare Ningana offers a home with a strong sense of community.

Inside SwanCare Ningana Architecturally designed for wellbeing and comfort SwanCare Ningana’s unique design mimics familiar concepts from the outside world, offering the analogy of a home, street and neighbourhood.

The 124 room facility will feature: - Clusters of eight rooms sharing dining, living and kitchenette - Rooms designed around central courtyards and a protected winter garden bringing in natural light and access to the outdoors - Onsite cafĂŠ - In-house catering & laundry - Private dining room available for families to book SwanCare Ningana offers a choice of suites from 17-19m2 single suites to 28m2 double suites. All come with en-suite bathrooms and modern fittings.

Contact us today to register your interest and be one of the first to tour this amazing new facility once completed. Phone (08) 6250 0250 or email care@swancare.com.au to find out more.

NINGANA

Passions & Pastimes

Birds of Bentley Park Part 1.

By Bruce May Because of the wide diversity of the gardens in Bentley Park, we are fortunate in having a great selection of different birds to share our environment with, and it is good to understand more about them. I am writing this, not as an expert ornithologist, but from my experience nursing birds as a volunteer at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, and as a former education volunteer there.

The Raven

Ravens are carnivorous, and apart from insects, they eat road-kill.

Ravens have a highly developed language, with quite a number of calls, some of which depend on the number of ‘arks’ in each call. For example, if a Raven calls ‘ark’ five times in quick succession, it means that there is danger. If the calling bird raises the note on the fifth ark, it is a warning to others to look up for the danger; if the note is steady, it means the danger is on the same level as the calling bird; and if the note falls at the end the danger is below that bird’s level.

The Magpie

The Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) - no, it’s not a crow. Its nearest relatives are the Little Raven and the Torresian Crow, but if we saw one of them in Perth it would be very lost!

Ravens and crows are amongst the members of a worldwide Corvus family of similar birds.

The Raven is a flock bird; and they are rated amongst the most intelligent in the bird world – you can even teach them to talk. A flock may cover a huge area when searching for food. At Kanyana we have found that Ravens tend to imprint on humans easily – that is, they accept humans as a food source, and thus become dependent on us and shouldn’t be fed by humans. For these reasons and more they would make good pets, however keeping them is illegal in Australia.

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We are fortunate that a number of gangs of Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) visit our gardens; at times they serenade us with the most beautiful birdsong. I use the term ‘gang’ for a group of maggies, because their behaviour is very gang-like. While caring well for all the members of their gang, even the youngest, they can be very cruel, and punish birds from another gang that stray into their territory. We have had many patients admitted to Kanyana almost dead from pecks to the head.

And it is easy for a bird to stray into the wrong gang, because each gang roams over its territory, visiting different parts at different times of the day, but always about the same times. This

might mean that three or four gangs will visit the same territory in the one day, and younger birds can become confused about where they should or should not be.

Immature birds have speckled chests, while the adult birds have very well defined black and white areas. The birds in our area are a subspecies, and the adult male has a white back and the black tip of its tail plumage is narrower.

The female is unusual in that it has a scalloped black or brownish-black mantle and back; the dark feathers there are edged with white.

This area appears a more uniform black as the plumage ages and the edges are worn away. Both sexes have black thighs.

name because it looks like a meat hook. It is claimed that they may also attach pieces of meat to thorns on bushes to store them. Another Butcherbird in our area is the Grey Butcherbird; but although I have seen some of these brought into Kanyana, I have not seen any in our village as yet.

The Mudlark

Magpies in care also tend to imprint easily; and I have seen a quite mature adult bird in care become infantile, sitting with its beak gaping, waiting for food to be placed in its mouth. At one stage, we had a magpie at Kanyana that had been in care for so long it had learnt to say ‘hello’.

The last bird I want to speak about in this edition is the Mudlark (Grallina cyanoleuca), another bird The Australian magpie has a wide variety of calls, many of which are complex. Pitch may vary closely related to Magpies and Butcherbirds.

This one has different common names in the over up to four octaves. various states; so you might know it as the Mudlark, Peewee, Peewit, or Magpie-lark.

Again, this bird is rather solitary, although pairs The Butcherbird may be seen.

Like the Magpies and Butcherbirds, Mudlarks are generally carnivorous, deriving most of their food from insects.

Magpie-larks are one of the only 200-odd species of bird around the world that are known to sing in duet; each partner producing about one note a second, but a half-second apart, so that humans find it difficult to tell that there are actually two birds singing, not one.

The Butcherbird is from the same family as the Magpie, but it is not a flock bird, and they are generally seen as singles. The one we would be most likely to see is the Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis). Butcherbirds are smaller than Magpies, and they have a long hooked bill, which has given rise to their common

I do urge residents of Bentley Park not to feed any of the birds we have considered today. They will suffer badly from being fed human food, because there are microorganisms in our meat which are very harmful to these birds. Even if you are rescuing an injured bird, it is best to give it only water, because it should not be given food before having treatment or attending the vet.

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Volunteers Corner

Small things make a big difference Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others – Gordon B Hinckley

Pat & David Hall

The personification of humble, David and Pat Hall, make small contributions daily to make a difference in the lives of SwanCare residents. You will see them both delivering village mail-outs and helping in multiple SwanCare groups.

When they’re not being helpful towards the running of the village, they are being helpful to those around them!

David helps walk with a resident with visual impairment, as well as playing snooker with a resident who suffers from dementia. This has not gone unnoticed by SwanCare residents, winning an award for Villager of the Year in 2019.

David and Pat met and married later in life while living in Tom Price. David was a jack of all trades eventually retiring from a much-loved job with Coca-Cola, while Pat was a nurse who retired from her career in community health.

When their home in Kardinya became too tiring to maintain, they decided a retirement village would be the best thing for them. Pat puts settling down at SwanCare to an accidental visit to one of our residents as she didn’t have her phone number, when she arrived she stumbled upon a home open and the rest is history!

“It’s one of the best decisions that we have made as a couple. The community all look out for each other,” Pat said. “We also love that there are lots of clubs you can join and the transport options are great – you need not have a car!”

Pat believes there are many enjoyable aspects to being a volunteer, but admits she likes to deliver mail outs the most. “You’re out and about getting exercise, you get to look at resident’s colourful gardens, you meet people and get to chat with the SwanCare community!”

Pat and David encourage all to volunteer if they are interested and capable. “I think it’s nice to be able to help!

It’s important as a community's errands cannot just be left to a couple of people, it needs a team to run smoothly,” said Pat. We couldn’t do it without you David and Pat – thank you and we appreciate all that you and the other volunteers do on a daily basis.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer please get into contact with Karen Parker on 6250 0010 or email karen.parker@swancare.com.au

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Gardens Interest Group

Summer gardening tips The summer heat will continue right through February and March. Make sure you keep pot plants moist, or move plants to a shadier place if you feel they are drying out too quickly.

Succulents make excellent water wise pot plants!

Succulents

Ensure you spray water under the leaves to deter spider mite and use an eco-friendly spray in the cool of the day to prevent scale and mealy bug attack.

Geranium cuttings of 15cm with several nodes should now be planted.

Check Roses for aphids, powdery mildew or black spot and spray with rose spray in the cool of the day.

Remove summer annuals as they finish flowering.

Geranium cutting

Prepare pots and soil in March to plant bulbs for spring flowers. Add soil wetter, compost and fertiliser. Daffodils, Clivia, Hyacinth, Iris, Ranunculus, Jacobean lily are bulbs which can be left in place for many years of beautiful blooms.

Dust young cabbage plants or spray with Dipel to deter cabbage moths. It is also time to plant lettuce, broad beans, broccoli, onions, spinach, radish and turnip seed.

Happy gardening! Be sure to stop by our next event should you want to chat gardens or have any questions – you’ll find the information in What’s On each month.

Jacobean Lily

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Resident Story

Wedding Day, 1960

Heather & Harry Williams Heather’s family moved from Kent to London when her father joined the London Fire Brigade during the Second World War. Once there, they remember hearing bombs dropping often, and when the air raid warning siren sounded, they all crawled under the heavy, teak table in the kitchen which their father had reinforced and kept readily provisioned with snacks, drinks and a chamber pot. Then they whiled away their time longing for the ‘ALL CLEAR’ siren.

Because of the bombing and the specific town area they lived in, Heather and Molly became part of the ’Evacuated Children’ contingents sent out to the countryside. When she was three years old and Molly was six years old, she remembers them on a railway platform wearing labels saying ‘Do not separate’, and each of them clutching a gas mask - made as a Disney face - and a small case, followed by a tearful farewell to their Mum, although Heather did not understand what was happening.

They arrived in Warwickshire and waited in a small village hall for one of the villagers to take both of them to a new home: they joined ‘Auntie Rhoda’ and her husband ’Uncle Frank’, who had no children of their own but took good care of them for the next three years.

The girls loved country life, living peacefully on a small farm and then in a thatched cottage, although they missed their parents very much and food was short. Their mother managed to visit them twice, although travel was difficult and she told them later she was upset by the clothes they

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were wearing - heavy studded boots, thick socks and long dresses. Though they were much better off than some other children who were not treated at all well.

Amongst the highlights of their time in the country was that they were each given a little black and white piglet which they loved – but they had to be taken outside when the piglets had to have a ring put in their respective noses! They were also given some farm jobs – i.e. to collect milk each day from the milk cart down the lane, which was drawn by a white nanny goat and carried two silver urns of milk.

The girls attended the village school but only remember weaving coloured raffia to make a little bag, playing with other children in skipping and hopscotch, and games with a pig’s bladder (courtesy of Uncle Frank) which was like a balloon. Also, an American aircraft which crashed in a field near their home and when the site was cleared, the local children found packets of American chewing gum there, which was regarded as a wonderful treat, of course. They also went regularly to the manor house, where they saw the horses and hounds, all beautifully attired, set off for the fox hunts. A not so good memory was the china chamber pot which was kept under the bed, but the only alternative was to go to the spider-ridden toilet at the end of the garden in the dark!

Sister Molly (aged 5) & Heather (aged 3), 1942

When the war was over, ‘Auntie Rhoda’ took them back to London, their city life and a big surprise two new brothers, which made their adjustment to home life quite difficult - the boys could not understand who they were and why they had arrived - the girls had major problems understanding why the boys were living in their home! The simple answer was, of course, that their parents had stayed together, although their mother had also been evacuated to a small town outside Liverpool where the boys, Christopher and Patrick, were born. The girls however, soon made friends with local children who had not been evacuated because they lived in a town which was considered relatively safe.

They kept in touch with Uncle Frank and Auntie Rhoda by mail and she also visited London to see them. Heather loved her dearly and remembers their parting with great sorrow – unfortunately, Uncle Frank had passed away by the war’s end.

Heather, Harry, their Childen, and Heather's Mother Eleanor, 1995

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Resident Story Life returned to normal after the war and Heather loved school, excelling in literacy and ‘all things sporty’. The family moved numerous times then as her father became a Station Officer in different fire brigades. When she was 18 years old, Heather enrolled in teacher training, settled into ‘digs’ with two friends, met Harry at a local dance and suddenly, ‘love was in the air’. He was in the Coldstream Guards stationed nearby and looked stunning in his uniform – red jacket and Bearskin (known as a Busby). As well as being an instructor, Harry also undertook public duties in London i.e. guarding outside Buckingham Palace.

They had three lovely children – two boys and a girl, Mark, Andrew and Tracey – and Harry was posted to various places where the family could go with him. However, when he was posted overseas to Germany, Aden and British Guianna, the family was unable to accompany him, so they lived in Army accommodation at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, which was Heather’s favourite posting. She returned to her dearly loved vocation of teaching and usually took the three children to the same school with her. Harry served three years overseas altogether and there was a slight problem with the children having to get to know him again each time he returned, so Heather managed their children, their home and her job while looking forward to Harry’s next leave.

One night in the ‘mess’ at Sandhurst, an Australian Army Officer regaled everyone with tales about life in Australia, and the decision was made fairly quickly that ‘a family life all together in the sun in Western Australia’ sounded wonderful. So, Harry left the Coldstream Guards to be a fulltime Dad and they left England on August 27th 1968, flying Qantas as ‘10 pound Poms’ with the children then aged eight, seven and six years old.

In Perth, Harry secured jobs as an Auditor with Ampol, then an Administration Officer with the WA Fire Brigade, later an Administrator at Perth Concert Hall and finally, the Diocesan Secretary for the Anglican Diocese of Perth. As Heather’s mother had joined them from England, Heather returned to teaching with positions at Thornlie Primary School, then Kewdale Primary School and finally, Gooseberry Hill Primary School where she was Deputy Principal and for a short time, Principal – loving her job!

Heather also coached several sports, played sport herself, and took part in other voluntary work: including serving 25 years as a Soroptimist, teaching English to the wives of South Korean students at Curtin University, and to refugees and migrants at Thornlie Primary School.

Heather and Harry in the SwanCare Akora greenroom

Their children have all married and reside in WA, and Heather and Harry are the proud grandparents of eight, plus one great grandson. They have travelled extensively and still try to take two overseas holidays per year – preferably cruising. In 2017 they retired here at SwanCare Bentley Park, are now very settled and are both heavily involved in Village activities, including the Village Social Club, and the AllSorts Choir which began in 2019 under the tutelage of Harry.

AND THEY LOVE LIVING HERE!

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Recipe

Healthy Zucchini Slice Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 45 mins | Serves: 6

Ingredients

Method

• • • •

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180ºC fan forced).

2. Whisk eggs in a medium jug, season with black pepper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients except tomato. Add eggs and stir mixture until well combined.

4. Spray a large baking dish with oil. Pour in zucchini mix and flatten with a spoon.

Cover with tomato slices arranged in a single layer.

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

6. Rest in the pan for 10 minutes before dividing into 6 pieces and cutting into slices. Serve with a green side salad.

• • • • • • •

5 eggs Pepper 1 large zucchini, grated 400 g carrot, sweet potato or pumpkin, peeled and grated 1 ½ cups canned corn kernels or frozen peas, drained 1 medium brown onion, peeled and diced 2 tsp dried mixed herbs ¾ cup wholemeal self-raising flour 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated Olive or canola oil spray 3 large tomatoes, sliced, optional

• Green side salad, to serve

Adapted with permission from LiveLighter.

LiveLighter® State of Western Australia 2019 www.livelighter.com.au

Serving Suggestion: Serve hot or cold, as a healthy favourite for toddlers, children and adults alike. Great to take on a picnic, served as a finger food cut into small squares.

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Letters to the Editor To the Editor, I would like to sincerely thank all our wonderful SwanMobile drivers for their patience, good humour and assistance during the past years. We are truly blessed to have all the voluntary groups here helping us. Where would we be without them?

I would like to say a special thank you to the drivers who ferried the Exercise Group to Admin, every day over the last year or so, we do appreciate how much you did for us, always with a smile and positive outlook, we cannot thank you enough.

Yours sincerely, Rose Birss.

Thank you for your kind words, Rose. We are indeed very lucky to have such dedicated volunteers– we would be very lost without them.

Ed.

Dear Editor, In recent times our wonderful team of volunteers have procured The Mucky Duck, The Mandolin Orchestra and The Victoria Park Brass Band to entertain us here in the Village. The three groups were very well received judging by the audience response and rightly so. I am not a volunteer but I have seen volunteers work first-hand and the amount of time, effort and dedication they put in.

In a village of this size it is an utter disgrace to see so many empty seats time after time.

Please support our volunteers. Most of our events are free and nearly always supply a free tea or coffee and tasty eats, with ice cream and soft drinks being available at bargain prices.

Last Friday, I attended the Brass Band concert more on the basis of giving my support to the volunteers. I have no particular liking for Brass Bands but by the end of the evening their expertise and selection of musical items won me over completely. You don't know what you missed.

Thank you to all the people behind the scenes and the kitchen volunteers who produced the fine cake, tea and coffee at the interval.

Regards, Cecil Cahill Thanks Cecil for so passionately supporting village culture here at SwanCare Bentley Park. Hopefully now that the unknowns around the Leisure Precinct development are behind us, residents will once again be out and about in full force.

Keep supporting our wonderful volunteers and being a SwanCare Bentley Park advocate.

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Out & About

Photos from some of the many activities on offer at Bentley Park

Graham briefing Swan Village Bowling Club

Swan Village Bowling Club: Opening of the Pavilion

Sinead & Monty Cotton on stage

Kingia Christmas High Tea

Food at the Kingia Christmas High Tea

Admin staff at Ronald McDonald House

Residents at the Volunteers Lunch

Admin staff listening to chef's briefing

Dinner complete for families

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What’s On: Local Area

Absolute Beethoven

Windows 10 Workshop

A thrilling classical journey! Beethoven’s powerful overtures set the scene for his most thrilling symphony. More than 200 years since its premiere, the driving momentum of Beethoven's seventh pulses with red-blooded vitality. In the hands of conductor Ludovic Morlot, it will lift you up from your seat as it climaxes with a finale of wild abandon and unrestrained joy.

Have your questions answered and explored using Windows 10 with the experts from Technologically Speaking.

Where: Perth Concert Hall, 5 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000

Where: Riverton Library - Riverton Leisureplex, 67 Riley Road (Cnr High Road), Riverton, WA 6147 When: Monday 24 February, 10am – 12 noon Cost: Free (online bookings essential via Eventbrite.com)

When: Thursday 5th March, 11.00am Cost: From $30.00 (Visit WASO online, in person or via phone 9326 0000)

Cyber Security, Viruses and Malware This eLearning workshop will explain how you can protect your devices, systems and data from malicious attacks and disruption of services.

Travel door-to-door on the 999 bus (stopping at Russell St Before Boag Rd, Morley, stop number 11357), then walk four minutes.

Where: Morley Library, 240 Walter Road West, Morley, WA 6062 When: Monday,16 March 2020, 2pm - 3pm Cost: Free

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Heritage Bus Tour Visit various historic sites around Canning.

This tour includes Cannington, Welshpool and Queens Park. Please note you must be able to walk upstairs.

Where: Woodloes Museum 39 Woodloes Street Cannington WA 6107 When: Tuesday 25 February, 7pm – 10pm Cost: Free, book via Eventbrite.com or call City of Canning Libraries on 1300 422 664

Penny’s Book Review 'Labyrinth' by Kate Mosse

Shining A Light On Crime: Applications of Spectroscopy in Forensic Science Paint, cosmetics, ink. All of these can be forms of forensic evidence that can help detectives to make links between individuals, objects and locations – a critically important part of a criminal investigation. But how to get the most useful information from these types of evidence? This is where chemistry plays an essential role. Join Dr Georgina Sauzier as she explores a key tool of analytical chemistry and how it can be used for analysis of forensic evidence.

Where: Curtin University, Exhibition Space, Building 500, Kent Street, Bentley When: Thursday, 12 March, 6.45pm – 8pm Cost: Free.

Register: Via Eventbrite.com.au or contact Simon Lewis on s.lewis@curtin.edu.au, 9266 2484

Harmonise Cultural Festival Experience the city’s cultural and ethnic diversity at our FREE Cultural Festival!

Discover the world with music, activities and food celebrating the city’s unique heritage and multicultural character.

Where: Faulkner Park, Progress Way, Cloverdale WA 6105

The results of the future stem from the past. This grail quest novel is set in modern day and medieval Carcassonne in France.

When Dr Alice Tanner discovers two skeletons during an archaeological dig in southern France, she unearths a link with a horrific and brutal past.

There inside the cave, Alice feels an overwhelming sense of evil, which she finds hard to shake off. She is puzzled by a series of words carved inside the chambers, something that was meant to remain hidden. Eight hundred years ago, on the night before a brutal civil war ripped apart Languedoc, a book was entrusted to Alais, a young herbalist and healer. She knows that while she cannot understand the symbols and diagrams Alais knows that the book must remain a secret at all costs.

Labyrinth is a powerful story steeped in atmosphere and history. This book would appeal to readers of Dan Brown’s books and novels about the Holy Grail and religious wars. While I’m not a mad fan of historical books, I did enjoy this one as the story was riveting and I learnt much about the times in the thirteenth century.

It certainly wasn’t a boring read.

This book is in the Bentley Park library and I discovered that it is the first in a trilogy; the other two books, in order are ‘Sepulchre’ published in 2007 and ‘Citadel’ in 2010 both available in small and large print.

Penny Felder Bentley Park Librarian

When: Saturday, 21 March 3:30pm - 7:30pm

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