Local news – 231

A gutsy girl

When student Peurla Saad (pictured above) took the GI Cancer Institute’s Gutsy Challenge in memory of her great aunt who died from oesophageal cancer, little did she know it would become a family tradition. Running from March until November each year, the challenge encourages children to seek sponsorship to eat two fruit and four vegetables everyday for one week to raise money for Gastro-Intestinal (GI) cancer research. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four Australian children are either overweight or obese, so the challenge is a practical way to decrease the risk of developing of GI cancers later in life while also raising money for the cause.

Most children take the challenge once a year, but Peurla and her family enjoy the benefits of healthy eating so much, they now do it once a month. Now in its fifth year, the Gutsy Challenge has transformed the eating habits of more than 13,000 children.

Visit gutsychallenge.com for more information.

 

Local artist heads to Rome

Newtown resident and emerging contemporary painter Mason Kimber will be leaving for a three-month studio residency at the prestigious British School at Rome this month, after having been awarded the 2014 National Art School British School at Rome Residency.

While based at Italy’s cultural and historic epicentre, Mason will be researching the theme of ‘architectural memory’ and says he is excited “to really focus on art and develop new ideas without any outside pressures or distractions.”

 

Ashfield’s eco winner

Sharryn Gannon has been announced the winner of Ashfield Council’s Sustainable Food Challenge, after being one in thirty households to commit to meat-free Mondays, trying organic food and reducing food waste for one whole month. The Sustainable Food Challenge was just the first of four separate competitions Council is holding as part of the Eco Challenge, with the other categories including Energy and Water at Home, Sustainable Transport and Know your Waste.

To find out more about the competitions or to sign up, visit www.ashfield.nsw.gov.au/page/ashfield_eco_challenge