Armidale Fire Station will hold an open day this Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

FIREFIGHTERS are encouraging people to visit Armidale Fire Station for the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) annual Open Day this Saturday, 18 May.
Armidale Fire Station, located at 66 Barney Street will be open from 10am to 2pm and families are encouraged to visit their local firefighters and learn more about fire prevention.
A range of free activities will be on offer including firefighting demonstrations, station tours and fire safety presentations including advice about installing smoke alarms, changing smoke alarm batteries and preparing a home escape fire plan.
Children will be able to see fire engines and firefighting equipment up close, which is always one of the highlights of this much-anticipated day.
“With winter approaching, open day is a timely opportunity to talk to the experts in home fire safety. Winter is the worst time of the year for home fires,” Station Commander Wayne Zikan said.
Station Commander Zikan added that the joint FRNSW/GIO online home fire safety audit is one of the best ways of assessing home fire awareness and identifying the risks throughout the home. Go to http://www.homefiresafetyaudit.com.au/ to see how your home rates.
“Head over to Armidale Fire Station on open day and talk to our firefighters face-to-face about simple safety tips you can use to escape quickly and safely in case of a fire or emergency.”
The open day marks the end of Fire Prevention Week for 2013. Go to www.fire.nsw.gov.au for more information.

The walk is a great day out for the whole family and takes in about three kilometres around the beautiful Armidale Creeklands.

THE RSPCA’s annual Million Paws Walk will be held this Sunday 19 May at the Armidale Creeklands.
The walk starts at 10am but registrations for you and your pet start from 8.30am.
The walk will be about three kilometres in length, along a set route signposted with informative placards and posters. If you wish, you and your pet can walk just part of the way.
The Million Paws Walk is a national event held in over 70 locations across Australia and always attracts large numbers of people and dogs.
Not only is it a fun day out, the Million Paws Walk has a serious edge. It helps to increase awareness of people’s responsibilities to animals.
The event also generates funds for the local RSPCA Branch’s work in the care and rehoming of disadvantaged, stray and abandoned animals in the New England area. It also provides funds for local desexing campaigns and education and advice about pet care. it is the Armidale branch’s major fund-raising event.
The Million Paws Walk gives everyone the opportunity to have a great day out together, while helping the vital work of our largest animal welfare organisation.
Every step and every paw print raises more dollars to help the animals in RSPCA care. That is a very important reason to step out on Sunday 19 May.
The Million Paws Walk event this year in Armidale includes pet care advice, RSPCA products for sale, a barbecue, raffles, prizes and giveaways, face painting for children, pet competitions (including best dressed and best trick), a free veterinary check and advice.
If you love animals, there’s only one place to go on Sunday 19 May – the 2013 RSPCA Million Paws Walk. Note: all animals must be vaccinated, micro-chipped and on leads or otherwise restrained.
For further information please contact the Armidale RSPCA Branch on 0412 217 364 or visit RSPCA website at www. millionpawswalk.com.au

Anthony Hanna with staff member Maddie Herbert toast what is expected to be a huge night for the grand re-opening of Mojo’s on Friday.

By JO HARRISON

THE iconic Armidale nightclub Mojo’s will have its grand re-opening this Friday night, after years of hibernation.
The man responsible for the resurrection, Anthony Hanna, has transformed the once tired interior into a swanky, sophisticated space where you can let your hair down and have a great night out.
All the necessary consultations with Armidale Dumaresq Council and Armidale Police have been completed and Anthony is keen to let the Armidale community know that Mojo’s will be a safe space adhering to all the necessary regulations.
“Police are very happy with what we are doing,” Anthony Hanna said.
“As a licensee I am very strict as to what goes on and who comes in through the door and all the camera we have in the building are linked with the police.
“There will be ID scans so that my staff are safe, the Armidale community and my patrons.
“If you fight in here or do anything to tarnish the reputation of Mojo’s, you will be barred.”
New to Mojo’s will be a dedicated smoking room, four VIP booths, state of the art DJ box, stage for live bands and new bars throughout. A new restaurant will also be open for dinner with a reasonable priced menu including steak, seafood, pizza and pasta. Anthony has convinced top Melbourne chef Brendan Marshall to come to Armidale and work on an impressive dining experience.
“A lot of people want to see Mojo’s reopen and the response has been so positive,” Anthony said.
“It has been unfortunate that the last couple of times that Mojos was re-opened it was just open the doors, and anything goes but I have made a commitment to make this a place that Armidale deserves.”
A massive opening night is expected with Anthony anticipating around 1000 people.
For more information on Mojo’s grand opening see the full-page ad in this week’s paper or login to the Mojo’s facebook page.

Local member Katie Austin with her Champion Parrot from the 2012 Armidale Bird Show.

THE Armidale Caged Bird Club will again hold its Annual Bird Show in the caged bird pavilion at the Armidale Showground.
It is the major event of the year for the small, local club, to be held on 5 May.
Over 200 birds are expected to be on display including budgerigars, canaries, parrots, finches, doves and quail.
Exhibitors come from all across the region to show their birds in Armidale.
“We will have people bringing birds from Coffs Harbour, Inverell, Tamworth, and Bulga as well as local birds from members around Armidale,” said Show Steward Allan Reeves.
“It’s a great chance to catch up with other bird keepers as well as see their birds.”
Judging will take place at 9am and members of the public are invited to come and inspect the birds from 10am. Entry to the Bird Show is free.
The show will pack up at 2pm so that exhibitors can travel home with their birds.
The Armidale Caged Bird Club would like to acknowledge the generous support it received this year from Guyra local and club patron Mavis Ridley, who donated $200 to the club to ensure this year’s show would be a success.
If you would like to join the Armidale Caged Bird Club, or would like further information about the club or show, contact the president on 0407 725 540.

Cecile Michels and Benjamin Thorn will be playing works by Orlando Gibbons, G.P. Telemann and Benjamin Thorn.

THE Music for a Market Sunday Concert at the Uniting Church on 28 April at 12.30pm will feature recorder duos from the renaissance, baroque and modern eras. Cecile Michels and Benjamin Thorn will be playing works by Orlando Gibbons, G.P. Telemann and Benjamin Thorn that will provide a snapshot of varying styles in the recorder repertoire.
Cecile and Benjamin both have a strong background in recorder music and have been playing together for over a decade around Australia and in Europe.
This is a good opportunity to hear two experienced musicians in key repertoire for their instrument.
Admission to the concert is free, though donations are encouraged. Tea and sausages are available at the Uniting Church before the concert.

From left, Laurie Pulley, Julee Andrews and Jenny Hebblewhite rehearse for the choral society’s first concert for this year.

ARMIDALE Choral Society’s first concert for 2013 will be held on Sunday, 5 May and will feature works by Gounod and Handel.
The 50-member choir will be conducted by well-known Armidale musician Laurie Pulley and supported by accompanist Julee Andrews.
The major work in the concert, Messe solennelle de Sainte Cecile, was composed by Francois Gounod in 1854-’55, and is one of his 16 settings of the Mass.
It follows the usual six vocal movements of the Mass, and is primarily a choral work, interacting with three soloists – Jenny Hebblewhite, soprano, Phil Oxley, tenor, and Alec Watt, baritone.
Also in the program is Handel’s popular Coronation Anthem No. 4, “Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened”, composed for the coronation of George II of England and Queen Caroline on 11 October, 1727.
Between these two choral works, Joel Choct, will play the Finale from the Piano Sonata Op. 31, No. 2 (The Tempest) by Beethoven.
The concert will begin at 3pm on Sunday 5 May in the Armidale Uniting Church. Entry is by donation of $15 at the door, and includes a delicious afternoon tea.

PLANS are already well underway for the 2013 Uralla Thunderbolt Festival, to be held in October.
In a blow for Uralla, the ‘Harleys for Helicopters’ turkey run will not be stopping in the town for the festival this year.
Up to 500 Harley Davidson motorcycles had become a drawcard, making the street parade a thunderous spectacle. They will now be stopping at Gloucester.
Treasurer of the organising committee, Beverly Stubberfield said that another motorbike group was interested in becoming part of the festival, staging a bike show and a poker run.
Mrs Stubberfield added that the festival could run a second weekend this year, to tie in with the Uralla Rodeo.
The volunteer organising committee is working hard to make the Thunderbolt Festival bigger and better. It is currently seeking community engagement and sponsorship.