I would urge everyone to get behind this great organisation.

Money raised is used to help local people and they are having a street stall today.

The people at Can Assist give up their free time to help others and we can do our bit by helping them - thereby practicing one of the greatest Christian virtues “Love thy Neighbour”.

I read somewhere that every 14 minutes someone in NSW is diagnosed with cancer, so that’s something to think about when you see Can Assist up the street today.

I would also like to thank my employer Baiada Poultry and especially the management team at Hanwood for all their support and also to my workmates who have probably had to carry me a bit until I am right back up to speed.

My heartfelt thanks to all who have bombarded heaven with their prayers on my behalf and also a big thanks to Mrs Puntoriero for doing such a great job on repairing my Brown-Scapular.

Thanks also to Dr Pettersson for his excellent professional services and his medical staff for their support and helpful advice.

Lastly, but certainly not least, many thanks to my wonderful neighbours for keeping a good eye on the place and looking after things while I was away having treatment.

I honestly cannot thank you all enough.

Jason West

Leeton

THIS year as we finish our Christmas shopping spare a thought for others.

Once you’ve bought a Kris Kringle for a workmate, a quirky gift for your brother-in-law or any of the presents you need for family and friends, consider one more gift for someone who really needs it.

One more gift to Red Cross will help ensure an older or isolated person gets a phone call every day to check they’re okay, clean water for a young child in a remote village in Myanmar, or a shower and a meal for a teenager sleeping rough.

This Christmas I urge everyone to consider making one more gift to Red Cross.

To make your gift to Red Cross call 1800 811 700 or go to redcross.org.au.  

Jody Broun

Executive director, NSW

Australian Red Cross

I WRITE from Royal Life Saving NSW to simply ask readers to do all they can to help stop backyard pool drowning, which is a huge issue for our state.

Disturbing figures sadly show that in the past 13 years in NSW, 83 children have died in a backyard swimming pool.  

For any family, it’s absolutely devastating.  

Figures also show that in the past decade at least 70 children have suffered neurological damage due to an immersion in a pool.

At least 1000 children have ended up in hospital for the same reason.

We want to highlight that often the most dangerous aquatic location exists in our own backyard. We ask readers to take part in “summer safety Sunday” on November 29.

We ask them to check their pool and spa from top to bottom and to make sure it’s safe, fully compliant and that any outstanding issues – where something needs to be fixed – are acted on. We want people to have fun in all aquatic environments.  

We don’t want to see tragedies. If a pool gate is not closing properly, please fix it.  

If your pool fence needs any kind of repair, act.

We’ve seen too many tragedies.  

David Macallister

CEO

Royal Life Saving NSW