LOCAL LIFE
Local children need your help
with essential school supplies
Richmond Marketplace , owned by ISPT , has once again partnered with St Vincent de Paul Society , to assist local families experiencing financial hardship acquire all the back-toschool essentials through their Operation Backpack initiative .
Operation Backpack urges the community to donate new school supplies , such as backpacks , pencil cases , glue , lunchboxes , pencils , drink bottles and other stationery items and place in the collection box located outside Big W .
Operation Backpack will run from Wednesday 3 January 2024 until Sunday 21 January 2024 .
Yolanda Saiz , St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Chief Executive Officer commented , “ The St Vincent de Paul Society is pleased to once again take part in Operation Backpack , an initiative to help give children a fair start as they begin a new school year .
“ We are seeing great pressure placed on families as the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact more and more Australians . Operation Backpack will help to alleviate some of this strain as these generously donated items are distributed to children and families in need across our local communities .”
Tracey Thomas , Richmond Marketplace
Senior Marketing Manager commented , “ Imagine starting the school year without basic supplies such as pencil cases , stationery items and lunchboxes . It ’ s so important to prepare and equip our future generation for the school year ahead , therefore we hope our community will once again rally together to support Operation Backpack by kindly donating . No item is too small !”
All donated supplies will be evenly distributed to local families in need prior to the start of the school year , by volunteers from St Vincent de Paul Society .
Jolly Frog is not jumping
with Scott Hinks , Windsor
Just over the Fitzroy Bridge is Windsor , the third oldest settlement in Australia being established by British settlement in 1791 , you are immediately confronted by the red derelict ruins formerly known as the Jolly Frog Hotel .
The Jolly Frog , a heritage building at the gateway of Windsor , is not looking so jolly these days after being allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair as if it were simply a blemish of a bygone and forgotten era of the Hawkesbury ’ s rich and unique heritage .
The building bears the scars of a major fire that sparked the beginning of its demise nearly a decade ago . Inundated by flood waters and neglected by its owners , it has become a derelict property , infested by vermin , overgrown with noxious weeds and vegetation . The construction style metal fence only highlights the indignity that has been bestowed upon this heritage property .
The obstacle course that awaits unsuspecting pedestrians that commute on the footpath parallel to the premises includes ; overgrown trees and shrubs , a poorly maintained pavement that shares the boundary line of a failing
and jagged concrete wall . It would be remiss of me not to mention the significant hole that has appeared between the fence and the footpath since a generator was placed on the footpath during the months of June and July .
We must acknowledge that residents and tourists see this derelict , uncared for and long forgotten building upon entering and leaving our historic town on a regular basis !
It would seem to be an ideal time to test the waters and raise with the Planning Minister Paul Scully the viability of a heritage building being restored in an area that is significantly impacted by flood waters , with all likelihood of never being able to obtain the required building approval or obtain property and business insurance !
Let us know your thoughts info @ hdinews . com . au
THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 164 // JANUARY 2024 9