From the Presidents  Desk 

There will be a General meeting on Monday in the new format of dinner at 6.00 and the meeting will start at 7.00. Liam and Anna will attend to update us on our annual PRISCA event. PP Sana is planning a Social evening at Sahara restaurant in Burwood on 21st October and this should be a great evening. 

From our meeting on the 28th September. 

Attendees: Hugo Robinson (President), Paul Sarks, Sana Kamalesan, Bruno Brandon, John Mansour, James Boggs, Alf Dimarco ,Rob Whitney, Edmund Teperski, Peter Moore, Keith Weeding Marilie Bomediano,

Guests: Peter Robinson, Thuvi Chandrapavan

Apologies: Anna-Marie Sanni, Fred Walker, Walter Bock, Fuad Jaafar, John Kane,

President's Report - Board and Club Updates

The President provided an update on recent Board decisions:

• The Board unanimously supported obtaining independent legal advice regarding the future governance structure of the 50th Anniversary Trust, including the possibility of consolidating its administration within the Club Board.
• Membership fees for the coming year will remain at $210, payable six-monthly.
• The financial statements prepared by Fred Walker were accepted.
• Funding was approved for tickets associated with Walter Bock's birthday celebration.
• The Club will approach the Municipality of Burwood regarding signage in public areas to promote Club meeting times and locations.
• An update was requested on the food and toy appeal being coordinated by Fred.
• Funding was approved to support Lachlan Rustifa from Rosebank in attending NYSM 2027.

PRISCA

Planning for the upcoming PRISCA event is progressing well. Liam and Anna will speak to the Club in the coming weeks about their work and the assistance required.

The event is expected to attract approximately 250 people and will be held at the West Ashfield Leagues Club on Monday, 16 November.

A number of schools have already submitted nominations, with 10 schools currently participating.

Members were asked to consider:

• Raffle prizes and potential sponsors.
• Businesses that may be interested in advertising or supporting the event.
• A suitable charity to receive funds raised on the night.

There was discussion about selecting a charity with a connection to children and families, preferably a local organisation. Suggestions included organisations supporting children's health, special-needs education, music programs and families affected by domestic violence. The possibility of linking the fundraising theme with guest speaker Jack Hughes' involvement with local schools and music was also raised.

Other Events

Possible dates for a social event in October were discussed.

Members were also reminded about upcoming Christmas-related activities and the need to coordinate dates so that events are not scheduled too close together.

Walter Bock's Birthday Celebration

Members discussed distributing information about Walter Buck's birthday celebration through ClubRunner. Several former District Governors and members are expected to attend. Accessibility was also discussed in relation to one potential attendee who uses a wheelchair.

Pres Hugo welcomed our Guest Speaker, Clinical Audiologist Thuvaraka Chandrapavan (Thuvi)

We recently welcomed a local audiologist, who joined us to talk about hearing, ear health, hearing loss, tinnitus, earwax and hearing aids.

She has worked in audiology for more than 15 years. Originally intending to become a speech pathologist, her career direction changed after learning about the significant hearing difficulties experienced by children in Indigenous communities. She went on to complete a Master’s degree in Audiology and began working with Indigenous communities in regional New South Wales as part of a research project aimed at reducing ear infections and associated hearing loss through improved health and hygiene practices.

She later spent seven years in the UK working within the NHS, supporting both children with complex needs and adults. She subsequently returned to Australia, worked at a children's hospital and eventually moved into private practice.

Her approach to audiology is strongly focused on helping people rather than working in a commercial hearing-aid environment. Her experience has included working with children, adults and communities where access to hearing services can make a significant difference to people's lives.

She also shared some fascinating stories from her international work. While living in the UK, she travelled extensively throughout Europe and was particularly impressed by the extraordinary landscapes of Iceland. She also volunteered with the UK charity Sound Seekers, travelling to Cameroon as part of a team supporting a school for deaf children. The team assessed children's hearing and provided hearing aids and support.

It was an interesting introduction to someone whose career in audiology has taken her from Indigenous communities in Australia to the UK and Africa, with a consistent focus on improving people's access to hearing and communication.

Report from our recent Bunnings BBQ.