Bella has Down Syndrome and in January 2018 was diagnosed with Leukemia. We have had a very rough year with approximately eight months of intensive treatment at Westmead Children's Hospital and most of that time living away from home being the Central Coast.

Bella is now on what they call maintenance treatment which is oral chemo at home, with us living on the edge everyday praying for no temperatures or sickness of any kind till her treatment finishes in January 2020.

Bella’s dad is her full-time stay at home carer as I returned to work after her intensive treatment. Bellas dad has been looking after her since she was born but the task became much greater with the leukemia. 

Before we arrived on holidays, I wanted to do something nice for Ritchie whilst we were away and decided to call a fishing charter, as he loves his fishing. I contacted Jeff from AsproCcharters. I explained our situation to Jeff. He said he didn't have much happening and that most charters were booked by groups, so it was a little hard at times to bring just one person.

I then had a phone call back from Jeff who said he would like to take Ritchie out reef fishing as a mate with a few mates. Wow, I was so excited. Jeff then said he didn't want any money for this trip. 

The phone call from Jeff to offer for Ritchie to join him on the Aspro to go out Marlin fishing - wow we never expected this. This man Jeff Brookes is so very generous will not accept money for this fishing trip and has said to Ritchie just bring yourself he is supplying lunch.

What an amazing man. Thank God we found him. Massive thanks to Jeff and Aspro Charters.

Annie Cochrane

Copacabana

It seems as community action, verbally for the time, increases along with community distrust of the council never being as it is at present.

The council has issued a statement of sorts to the media about the Batemans Bay Planned Aquatic Centre.

The council spokesperson provided lots of numbers. The numbers relate to the costs of subsidising the present pools in the shire, the rate income provided by the shire’s ratepayers and the estimated extra costs associated with a new 50-metre pool for Batemans Bay.

What’s very clear is the community message about the aquatic centre fiasco, is being heard, it seems, by the mayor and the mayor’s advisors in council.

As a result a council spokesperson has attempted to take some heat off the aquatic centre issues and the councillors who made election promises about it, suggesting if the community wants a 50-metre pool, a rate rise may be required.

Whether or not a 50-metre pool is provided, one thing is for sure a rate rise will. A performing arts centre isn’t required when performances such as these are happening before our very eyes. What a performance it is, councillors and Mayor.

Further to Daimon Martin's letter to Andrew Constance MP, Batemans Bay Marina has now started a petition to give priority to dredging of the Clyde River channel bar.

Dredging of bars to allow safe passage for boats is an important issue along our coastline, and has become a serious problem in Batemans Bay.

Thee petition can be found on change.org, titled ‘Clyde River Channel must be dredged to allow safe passage of boats’.