Publications

Aboriginal people in western NSW seeking to build up their financial well-being and security need not do it alone.</p> <p>CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes (CCWF) is ready to help…

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes (CCWF) has opened a hairdressing salon at Wilcannia, bringing a much-needed service to the outback community. Called Cooee Cuts, it’s operating as a social enterprise to fill a gap. The salon welcomed its first customers on September 6-8, and will operate three days a month, with its next opening set for October 10-12. …

Cooee Cuts opens as affordable hair salon in remote town Read More »

Kerry Willems hasn’t forgotten the despair she felt at being homeless, even after three years in secure accommodation. The woman who now lives and works in Forbes unexpectedly found herself sleeping in her car, with no money to buy food, no clothes, no facilities for personal hygiene, and “the absolutely intoxicating fear of being alone”. …

The ‘despair, the isolation of homelessness’: Kerry recounts experience Read More »

Demand for the homelessness services of CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has jumped in the past year, as wider sections of the community struggle to find safe and sustainable accommodation. Employed people now make up 10 per cent of the people seeking CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes housing assistance, higher than previously. The number of clients aged 50 or more sweIled …

Demand for homelessness services grows Read More »

Sylo Café has reopened its doors, welcoming its first customers on Wednesday from 7am. Espresso aromas are now filling the refurbished Sylo building at 23-25 Rankin Street. The café is CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’ third social enterprise, its purpose is to have a real and positive impact for individuals and the community as a whole, as it …

Sylo Café opens to serve awesome coffee with an awesome story Read More »

Excitement is building at Forbes ahead of the opening of Sylo as the town’s first social enterprise café on July 6. The sound of the espresso machine will soon be heard at the CBD landmark thanks to a CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes initiative to meet community need. As a social enterprise café, Sylo’s purpose is to provide …

All systems go: CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes to launch social enterprise café Sylo Read More »

The mission to improve mental health and end stigma will step up at Parkes, Forbes, Orange and Bathurst this month. Community members are invited to CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’s mental health expos in the four locations. Actor and mental health champion Sam Webb will give a special guest talk at each of the free events. Webb co-founded …

Community invited to hear inspiring LIVIN co-founder, actor Sam Webb at mental health expos Read More »

Fresh haircuts and a safe space to talk have come to the heart of far-western NSW, thanks to a partnership between CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes and Walkabout Barber. The two organisations teamed up to put on events at Menindee, Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Cobar and Narromine from May 9 to 13. At each location, the Walkabout Barber and …

Walkabout Barber and beauty time a space for healthy conversations Read More »

Robert Sloane from Condobolin wins the 2021 Aboriginal Art Competition. CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has announced the winners of its Aboriginal Art Competition for 2021. “We were spoiled for choice this year with so many interesting paintings submitted. Many with very special stories and meanings from these amazing emerging artists,” CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes CEO, AnneMarie Mioche said. This …

Condobolin artist wins 2021 Art Competition Read More »

DEMAND HIGH FOR SOCIAL SERVICES CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has had a 42 per cent increase in demand for its services since the declaration of the Coronovirus Covid-19 pandemic. “I couldn’t be more proud of how quickly our team adapted to make sure support and services were still being delivered at a time when our many communities …

Service demand high Read More »