Events to showcase diverse ages

A BROAD spectrum of age groups will soon be celebrated through the Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre.

Later this month, the community group will put on two separate events including a family fun night, and choir performance, to acknowledge Children’s Week and Seniors Month respectively.

Community engagement officer Emily Macdonald said the offerings are about supporting the varied age diversity of the region.

“Both events are a great opportunity for everybody to connect with their community,” she said.

“Having both events in the same month is an ideal way to connect both the younger and older communities.

“For either event, both demographics can bring along their younger or older family members.

“It’s really open to anybody.”

The Seniors Month event will see members of Sing Australia Ballarat entertain with a choir performance, with afternoon tea available.

“For a number of years, we’ve had Sing Australia doing an afternoon tea,” Ms Macdonald said.

“We’ll have a concert from them to the theme of ‘What a Wonderful World’ and people will know the songs in the program and can sing along as well.

“We’ll also have our scones, jam, and cream, which is kind of an infamous treat we have at the neighbourhood centre that people can enjoy too.”

The offering will run from 1.30pm to 2.30pm on Monday 21 October at 11 Tuppen Drive, Sebastopol, with entry via gold coin donation.

Two come and try gardening days will also be held throughout the neighbourhood centre as part of Seniors Month.

The free family fun night will follow the next week, on Friday 25 October, held at St James Parish School from 5pm to 7pm, with support from the State Government and in partnership with Journey Early Learning Sebastopol.

“This actually came out of our Sebastopol community meetups,” Ms Macdonald said.

“We’ve actually got a few different groups and organisations involved.

“The Sebastopol and District Lions Club will run a free sausage sizzle; Kelly Sports are doing some activities; the Country Women’s Association are doing some cupcake and biscuit decorating; the Phoenix College junior band are doing their first-ever performance.

“It’s grown into this huge community thing.”

Seniors Month is held throughout October each year, while Children’s Week has been celebrated in its current form since the 1980s and runs from Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 October.

To RSVP to the Seniors Month event for catering purposes, call 5329 3273 or email [email protected].