Hello to all our members. We are now in November, and 2020 has proved to be a very different year for everyone, with the threat of Covid-19 we had to close our rooms but we have opened up again but with some restrictions in place. Initially we were only opening for appointments for members in the area. Then we opened for appointments for members from other regions. We hope now to be able to open more regularly for face to face contact with our members and visitors as the threat of Covid in Bathurst is non-existent. But at the same time, we need to be alert to any risk to our members so we continue to sanitise our rooms and equipment after each use. We cannot provide refreshment facilities yet but restrictions are loosening up so we look forward to being back to full attendance and social events in the future. If you would like any information on our Covid 19 safety plan or information on attending our centre, please contact members of the committee, by email or phone to discuss.
The Senior Citizens Centre held their Annual General Meeting recently, I would like to extend my thanks to the members of the previous committee and welcome the new committee. I hope we can continue to develop a friendly and mutually respectful relationship with members of the Seniors centre from whom we lease our rooms. We have some issues to work through regarding our rooms but I am sure these are not insurmountable and hope to have these resolved as soon as practicable.
Our planned outings have been severely affected by distancing regulations but we have been able to “meet” in other ways. We regularly have ZOOM meetings which allows us to have contact with members from across the States as well as training via email and other means. Our research for members and non-members has continued and I thank Joy Richens, our Researcher Co-ordinator and Secretary for her continued efforts in providing research answers to enquiries.
Recently we held a ZOOM afternoon tea and get together, it was great to catch up with some members but it is not the same as face to face. ZOOM meetings are a way of keeping in contact with members who are not in the area and it has opened up a way for us to “meet” with members who cannot attend our face to face meetings (when we can have them again). We will try to include an element of ZOOM in meetings from now on, to allow access from members who may not be able to attend for whatever reason. As restrictions on numbers of people gathering are reduced, we hope to have some regular get togethers, some ideas are heritage tours and lunch, grave and grub tours, history themed afternoon teas and small talks with refreshments. If members are interested in having these types of get togethers could you please let me know what types of things you are interested in doing so we can organise them for you. Next year we will be involved in Autumn Colours again and our sub-committee are working on a program now.
If you would like to have some assistance with your research or have problems accessing information and need some help please let us know. Now, we are offering appointments on our regular opening times – Mondays 10am to 1pm; Tuesdays 2pm to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm; Thursdays 10am to 1pm. Other times can be arranged if these times are not suitable. Once Covid restrictions are lifted we will be able to go back to regular drop in times.
There are only a few weeks now until Christmas is here. A Christmas Luncheon has been organised for our members and guests on Friday 11th December at 12.00. It is in the historic Abercrombie House and will be a typical Christmas lunch provided. Please consider joining us, as this will be our last event for 2020 and a good time to catch up for a chat. Please see more details in this issue about the Christmas lunch.
I would like to take this time to thank members for their continued support, also to thank our committee members for all their hard work and our editor Barbara Knox for delivering a very professional quarterly magazine. We appreciate the effort it takes to produce our Carillon Chimes and hope members enjoy reading it. If you have any information you would like to include just let us know, you might have some research hints and tips, interesting family stories, fun items or other interesting facts to share with members. Please forward them on to us for inclusion in future Chimes.
Finally I would like to wish all our members and their families, good health, a great Christmas and we look forward to a better year in 2021 than we have had in 2020.
Dianne Barnes