Seniors Festival 2021 - Wingecarribee Shire Council
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Seniors Festival 2021 Erin Adams Aged and Disability Officer
Seniors Festival Summary
This year was like no year we have seen before. Planning and more planning went into this
event to ensure it could go ahead safely. Due to COVID-19 the visitor numbers were expected to
be lower.
This year's Seniors Festival was a hugely successful event for many reasons as there were
multiple changes and additions this year, however due to COVID-19 we were unable to truly
measure and compare to previous years.
Due to COVID-19 we had planned to only do an online program, at the last minute an in-house
program was created, with a smaller print-run the new design was appreciated by community
members.
This year there were 76 events, including community run events (with 25 events run by
Council). Overall an increase in 16 events compared to 2020.
The bookings for the Wingecarribee Shire Council’s 2021 Seniors Festival activities opened on
Monday 29 March 2021. Booking options were available online through Council’s website, over
the telephone and in person. There was a huge increase in online bookings by individuals this
year. A huge thank you to Saskia Sharp, Online Services Officer for her work on the new
website. Saskia ensured all events were up, booking forms created with new maps to make it
as easy as possible for Seniors to book and find events. Online individual bookings were up by
nearly 50% from 2020!
An application for a Category 3 Local Government Organisation 2021 NSW Seniors Festival
grant for $6,100 was submitted to the Department of Family and Community Services in
February 2021. This application was successful, the only short-coming was that it was a very
short turnaround between getting notice of the funding and the Festival taking place.
We were also successful in receiving a grant from Macarthur Disability Services (MDS) for $1000.
The external funding allowed WSC to provide all Council events free of charge to all Seniors for
2021.
Statistics at a Glance
Total Number of Council Events: 25
Total Number of Community Run Events: 51
Best performing Events: Jive Bombers, Rapunzels Party, Susannah Fullerton
Literary Talk, Art Gallery Tour, community portrait classes, sustainability
workshops and seniors dance
Overall Council Visitation: 1010 (opposed to 843 in 2020)
Online bookings: 78% (opposed to 48% in 2020)
SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021 | 01
Partnering with Community
2020 had 21 Community Partners
2021 had 43 Community Partners
Artist John Brain
Men's Sheds (x5)
Bradman Museum Mittagong RSL
Burrawang School of Arts Moss Vale Aquatic Centre
CTC@Robertson Moss Vale Evening CWA Branch
Moss Vale Services Club
Centennial Vineyards
Mt Eymard
Darren Caves - Clinical Natropath Quest for Life
Dementia Re-framed Rapunzel's Party
Dormie House Rural Fire Service, Southern Highlands
Elly Greenfell - Health Harmony Southern Highlands Concert Band
Empire Cinema Southern Highlands Croquet Club
Susannah Fullerton
Fiona Davis - from Bowral Yoga Space
The SHAC, Robertson
Henely Brae Retirement Village
WSC - Community Development
Inspector Alex Fooks WSC - Natural Resources Team
Interchange WSC - Resource Recovery Centre
Jive Bombers WSC - Sustainability Services
Keith Whelan, The Grants Guy WSC - Welcome Centre
Kirstine McKay, Life at Greenlaw
Living Connected
Margaret Connor
Margaret Crothers
Matthew Wakefield, Comedy for a Cause
1,250
50
Participation over the Festival
40 1,000
Community Partners
30 750
20 500
10 250
0
2018 2019 2020 2021 0
2020 2021
02 | SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021
Advertising
This year we had a HUGE amount of local support to get the word out as quickly as possible.
WSC Facebook (5 posts).
WSC Website (main feature on Seniors page and individual event listings on every event).
WSC Seniors Newsletter (4 emails).
WSC weekly Newsletter (1 main feature).
WSC Community Notices (4 weeks).
WSC Press Releases (2 - one for Seniors Festival dates, one for event bookings open).
Southern Highlands News in print and Facebook (multiple posts with multiple shares by
community pages, including Just Ask - Southern Highlands).
Double page spread from Southern Highlands Express advertising each events.
Radio: 2ST (Dave Sommers, 4 weeks, Erin Adams Interviews x 2 and 2 replays).
Radio: Highland FM (8 interviews promoting events and Highland FM created a free CSA
which played multiple times a day for 4 weeks).
Save the date flyers 500 placed in the community.
1000 printed programs.
NEW calendar at a glance, printable and on WSC website and heavily promoted on
Highland FM website.
Mittagong RSL provided professional printed 100 event booklets.
Multiple community partners promoted events via their email lists, social media and
websites.
Individual event posters.
Advertising full screen at the Community Recovery Concert.
Consistent branded ticketing / posters / FB / flyers / program and posters.
Writing your memoirs
Workshop:
Seniors Festival 2021
Come & Try Seniors Dance
"Come and Try" dance and morning tea at Henley Brae
Retirement Village.
Example of consistent branding for ticketing
Have you been missing travelling to different countries? Do
you miss the sounds of music from those ancient places?
Come and try some simple traditional dances in easy steps
as a different form of gentle exercise.
Seniors Festival 2021
It's social as well as gently mobilising. CONCERT: JIVE BOMBERS
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!
Monday 19 April 2021
Join us for an afternoon of
10am - 11.30am music and dancing.
37 Etheridge St, Mittagong Join Susannah Fullerton, OAM FRSN, popular speaker
Book NOW - link below!
and distinguished literary scholar, for an engaging
presentation. Discover which books brought about
Bookings: Donna Carter 0437 342 668
social, political, racial, sexual and literary change.
Saturday, 17 April
Find out how fiction and imagined characters have
altered the world for the better, and the worse.
Friday 16 April, 10am - 11.30am 2 p m - 4 p m
Mittagong RSL Club
Contact details Moss Vale Services Club
Bessemer Street, Mittagong
02 4868 0888 B o o k i n g s E s s e n t i a l : C o u n c i l 4 8 6 8A
08r8g8y l e S t & , Y a r r a w a S t ,
Ready to rock: Jive Bombers
wsc.nsw.gov.au/seniors Moss Vale
2021 Program Example of individual event poster
Example of consistent branding for FB posts
SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021 | 03
What did we add?
19.8% 35%
Increased participation Increase to Seniors
in Council Seniors Festival Events newsletter subscription
Council Run Events
This year, due to funding there was an opportunity to add some new events, below is an
evaluation of each:
Writing your Memoirs Workshop
Attendance: 36/36
Evaluation: Highly engaged audience, absolutely would run again.
Recommendation: An ongoing writing group could be created and supported by workshops.
Susannah Fullerton, "Ten Novels that Changed the World"
Attendance: 138/200 (25 more tickets than last year)
Evaluation: Highly engaged audience, absolutely would run again.
Recommendation: Book early, would be a good event to run at least twice a year.
Comedy: Comedy for a Cause
Attendance: 117/200 New Event
Evaluation: Engaged audience, would think about running a smaller event in partnership with
the Venue, Bowral - a more intimate setting.
Recommendation: Smaller venue, brief to comedians - short quick lines.
Concert: Jive Bombers
Attendance: 172/200 New Event
Evaluation: Engaged audience, would 100% book this group again.
Recommendation: Would move to Mittagong RSL for space and parking.
Concert: Southern Highlands Concert Band
Attendance: 175/200 (45 more tickets than last year)
Evaluation: A favourite on the calendar
Recommendation: Would absolutely book again, the band themselves prefer Moss Vale
Services Club. Note: Microphones need to be pre-booked and ensure they are there prior to
concert starting.
04 | SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021
Council Run Events Concert: Rapunzel's Party Attendance: 72/72 Evaluation: A beautiful intimate event, that all enjoyed. Recommendation: Due to COVID we only supplied water, inviting guests to bring a "picnic" would be a great addition. Another event that would be low cost and a great opportunity to host a matinee event throughout the year. The SHAC, Art Gallery Tour and Morning Tea Attendance: 18/20 New Event Evaluation: Included an Artist talk by the resident photographer in the front gallery who was very engaging and all participants enjoyed the morning. Recommendation: Easily something that could be run throughout the year as free event (without morning tea). A Morning at the Movies Attendance: 98/150 150 tickets were "sold" Evaluation: Strange that so many people did not turn up to this one. Always a popular event, potentially as the movie was free people maybe did not show up. Recommendation: Run again with a $2 donation at the door. Community Portrait Class Attendance: 9/9 (3 more than last year, could do 12 next year) Evaluation: Everyone loves this one. Due to Covid everyone got an individual cheese plate which worked well. Recommendation: An event that should stay on the calendar. Centennial Vineyards is a great space with a good indoor and out door space. RFS Prepare Your Home for Winter & the AIDER program Attendance: 6/20 New Event Evaluation: Engaged audience, that participated. Recommendation: This event was put on the calendar as a result of feedback from last year. Potentially there could be an information session with multiple workshops or presenters. Come and Try Rivercare Attendance: 4/10 Evaluation: A lovely morning, no new volunteers attended one inquiry from a new participant. Recommendation: Still a great addition, to show off the on-going ways residents can be involved with Council and the environment. Recommend target advertising for 2022. SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021 | 05
Council Run Events Movement and Muscle Longevity! Attendance: 32/36 New Event Evaluation: Such great information given by all three health professionals. All have been engaged by residents and / or Mt Eymard. Providing a great platform for local business to promote their services to Seniors in our community. Recommendation: An EOI to go out to community for a different panel next year. Another event that could easily and at no cost to Council, run in partnership with Aged Care communities. Seniors Crime Safety Attendance: 7/28/19 tickets at the 3 venues (Mittagong, Bowral and Burrawang) Evaluation: All three sessions covered such different topics under Seniors rights and Safety. Recommendation: Absolutely should run these sessions in this format twice a year. Bee Experience Attendance: 10/10 New Event Evaluation: Amazing event, a great opportunity for our seniors to get hand on experience with bees and learn about sustainability. This was run across Sustainability and Community Development branches. Recommendation: Run again next year, potentially adding an extra session as there were so many on the wait-list. Sustainable Living Workshop Attendance: 16/10 New Event Evaluation: Oversubscribed, mix up with some bookings and some attendees from the first session assuming they were booked into both. Greenlaw made allowances and attendees were able to stay. Recommendation: Run again next year, potentially adding an extra session as the session was over subscribed and there were so many on the wait-list. Potentially adding Greenlaw to be a guest speaker at a larger venue. Quest for Life Workshop Attendance: 17/25 Evaluation: Always positive and participants are highly engaged. Recommendation: Run again next year, would be great to see this event, on site at Quest for Life in Bundanoon. What’s New in Waste Attendance: 3/10 Evaluation: Three attendees were engaged and interested in the topic. Recommendation: More targeted advertising for 2022. 06 | SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021
Council Run Events Reverse Garbage Workshops Attendance: 10/10 New Event Evaluation: Workshop run by Reverse Garbage. Very engaging presentation and great way to make people aware of the issues with textile waste, importance of re-using. Recommendation: Run again next year. Come and Try Seniors Dance Attendance: 18/18 Evaluation: All residents and local participants had a ball. This program is, as a result now being run through Henley Brae Retirement Village as a way to keep seniors moving, gently! Recommendation: Support the continuation of the program and continue to be part of the program next year. Be a visitor in your own backyard! Attendance: 5/10 Evaluation: The visitors who came were engaged and appreciative of the local service offerings. Recommendation: Probably not necessary but the option is still available. Potential to partner with the Welcome Centre to do events throughout the year for Seniors. SENIORS FESTIVAL 2021 | 07
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