Time to smile at family day

IT’LL be all smiles in town on Saturday, 10 December as an annual celebration returns.

Set for the Heathcote Primary Health campus on Hospital Street, the free Heathcote Community Smiles Day will have fun activities for the whole family from 12pm to 2pm.

“The time has come for us to smile again, and we’re thrilled to be able to help our local kids do so,” said a statement from the Heathcote Community Smiles Day committee.

“We all know that connecting with our community has a positive impact on our mental wellbeing, which is why we encourage everyone to join us, become active, connect with each other, and pay attention to the world around us.

“In the same way we did last year, we are bringing together some local organisations to advertise their services to the community.

“We want to strengthen those relationships while also giving back to the community.”

Heathcote Men’s Shed will host a free community barbecue, and other stallholders will include Heathcote Community Housing, emergency services, Bendigo Volunteers Resource Centre, headspace, Bendigo Community Health Services, and Goldfields Library.

A petting zoo, kids’ yoga, Christmas decoration activities, photo booth, face painting, and a visit from Santa will also be part of the fun.

Christmas activity packs and safety bags will be distributed by stallholders, and eighteen bicycles, six tricycles and more are part of the prize pool for children who take part in colouring and activity challenges.

The prizes will be drawn at 1.30pm. The Heathcote Primary Health GP clinic and Heathcote Health have donated the bikes, while Heathcote Community House, Toy World Bendigo, and the former Heathcote Pool Committee have provided the tricycles and other prizes.

The Department of Transport and Road Safety Victoria will also offer bike education to winners. Bring along some gold coins for ice cream and cold drinks.