North Sydney Council is currently holding a series of Community Forums titled ‘Our Next Ten Years Have Your Say’. Last week Board member Mary-Lyn Lawrence attended the forum on Social Inclusion. One of the issues discussed was the high incidence of suicides in men over 85. Higher than in the young or indigenous - quite a frightening statistic.

 

The Hub has more women than men, but we have many men in the Hub who are active and very much a part of our activities. There must be many more out in our community who would benefit from the support of a community. If you know someone who could be interested in joining the Hub please take the time to reach out to them.

 

A couple of the men I have become friends with because of the Hub were persuaded to join the Hub by their children - maybe you know someone who has children who visit and who do not know about the Hub.

 

Do you have suggestions on how we can attract more men to the Hub? Are there particular activities we could include? I hope to hear from you. wavertonhub@gmail.com

 

There is still time for you to have your say on what you would like North Sydney Council to consider for the next 10 years. If you go to yoursay.northsydney.nsw.gov.au you will find the Social Inclusion Study, the Culture and Creativity Study, the Economic Development Study, the Integrated Transport Study and the Open Space and Recreation Needs Study. Those of us who have lived in the area for many years know what works and what doesn’t and what could benefit our area. Take the time to complete at least one of these studies. The Surveys close on June 23.

 

Happy Hubbing,

 

Carol F

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Members participating in Hub Activities - mainly men

 

Coffee Catch-up often more men that women	Walks and bbq cooking ->
Walking - even in the rain	Men's dinner and  more walking ->

 

CHANGES IN WAVERTON

Coffee Shops

On May 31 two of our favourite coffee shops will close; Botanica which will close permanently and Waterview which has been sold but will be closed for 3 months for refurbishment. 

New venues will be required for the Tuesday Coffee Catch-ups, the Men's Dinner and of course the 'After class coffee groups'.

 

We thank you for your service over the past years and wish you well for the future.

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Waterview – the story

 

Until about 10 years ago the Café in Bay Road Waverton what we now know as Waterview was Witham's Coffee.

 

Then Stephanie took it over and appropriately named it Waterview. At the time it was a single fronted shop with a few tables on the pavement at the front. There was a Hairdresser, Aki, in the adjoining shop. When Aki decided to close her business Stephanie took over that area as well and knocked down part of the wall between the 2 shops. Aki now runs a mobile service and visits a number of local women to do their hair. She treats these visits as a social occasion.

 

About the time that the two shops became one, Stephanie applied to Council to open for dinner several nights a week much to the delight of the locals. During COVID she arranged take away coffees and meals from the front door. This was most welcome when there were restrictions on our movements.

 

A number of Hub activities have taken place at Waterview. The main one being the quarterly Men’s Dinner which has usually attracted over 20 male members and friends each time. Other activities have included “after-class” coffees, the Ladies Lunch and Games Days. After the closure of the Waverton Bowling Club, Games Day moved to Waterview and  Scrabble, Cards and Mahjong were played after some members had met there for lunch. When the Games moved to the Hall, the lunches continued. The last one was on Monday this week.

 

Stephanie has catered for our AGMs, Christmas Parties and more recently our Afternoon Teas.

 

Over the years there has been a turnover of staff who have all been friendly, welcoming and often remembered your name and coffee order. Currently Jyoti, Garry and Ian make our meals and coffee. They have all been able to find new jobs to suit.

 

The Waverton Hub and local community will be sorry when all this comes to an end. We wish them well for the future and look forward to perhaps seeing Stephanie as a caterer to some of our activities.