There’s still time to catch that outlaw Ben Hall
MARYANNE Jaques was happily wrong in her Bathurst Arts Council column (Western Advocate, December 14) when she said that The Legend of Ben Hall movie was finishing its Metro 5 season on the day her column was published.
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Such has been the positive response from Bathurst movie-goers to this film – 188 paying customers at the October preview, and another 400-plus in its two weeks of screening to date – that Metro 5 manager Mark Hewitt has extended its season until Christmas Eve, with one or two sessions each day.
It is great to see The Legend of Ben Hall getting a fair go screening-wise in Bathurst, which has not been the case nationwide.
Despite getting three stars from both The Sydney Morning Herald critics Sandra Hall and Paul Byrnes, and obviously being enjoyed by Bathurst movie-goers, this home-grown Gumtree Western is being shown at very few cinemas nationwide, resulting in box office takings of a meagre $60,000 to date.
At a time when our cinemas are full of Hollywood offerings, Mark Hewitt is to be congratulated for giving Bathurst movie lovers the chance to vote with their feet and support an Aussie movie that retells one of our stories.
John Payne, Kelso
No time for decorations when the quarries call
THE Bathurst CBD is a sorrowful sight in these days leading up to Christmas.
The street lights which should be holding festive banners are embarrassingly naked.
Why could there not have been a competition within local schools to design banners with a Christmas theme for the CBD?
This is the kind of community engagement that a council worth its salt should have enacted long ago.
At the crossing on Howick Street, leading to the post office, there are four lights, only one of which has a functioning globe, let alone any sign of Christmas cheer.
However, we must remember that other priorities take up the council's time.
Anything to do with racing tracks, Mount Panorama, the granting of crowded housing estates on productive farmland, quarries in rural residential areas, and so-called "business opportunities" leave little room for considering creating a festive atmosphere for the people of Bathurst at Christmas.
It's a matter of priorities for this council.
Apparently Christmas does not rate their indulgence.
Elizabeth Chandler, Napoleon Reef
Be aware of warning signs of distress this Christmas
WITH the final weeks of 2016 upon us, it is a good reminder to think about what has happened over the year, the things we have achieved and also what the new year will bring.
For some, this time of year can be challenging, particularly for people who are experiencing isolation, loneliness and mental health issues or facing some big life changes.
During these times, it is valuable for families and friends to be aware of signs and symptoms that something might be wrong with their loved ones. Being withdrawn, not doing the things they would normally enjoy, ongoing worry or irritability are just some of the changes to look out for.
If you need support or advice, headspace is here to help. As the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, headspace provides support to young people aged 12 to 25 years old who are going through a tough time and their parents.
This can include support around mental health, physical health, work and study or alcohol and other drugs.
You can access help through one of our centres or via eheadspace.org.au, which provides online and telephone support between 9am and 1am (AEDT), seven days a week.