Community Calendar

Westside Slam event co-organisers George Naylor, Chris Tabone and Barry McBride are excited to host the Nicholson Street Mall event on Saturday, March 4. (Damjan Janevski) 319257_01

Want your event listed? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to westeditorial@starweekly.com.au by 9am Wednesday the week prior to publication.

Free walking group

Every Wednesday (during term dates) at 10.15am from Joan Kirner House, 14 Thompson St, Williamstown.

■ Tahlia, 9397 6168

Free community morning tea

Every Wednesday at 11.00am in Joan Kirner House foyer, 14 Thompson St, Williamstown.

■ Tahlia, 9397 6168

Computer classes for beginners

A wide range of times and days, at both Altona North Community Centre, and Joan Kirner House in Williamstown.

■ Lynne, 9397 6168

Motoring group

The upcoming couple of months will be a busy time for the Hobsons Bay Men’s Shed Motoring Group. The group’s annual Classic Car and Bike Show will be held at Altona’s Apex Park on Sunday, February 26. The group’s monthly Torque meeting will be held at the Men’s Shed at 280 Queen Street, Altona on Sunday, March 5. The club run to the Bostock Reservoir is being held on Sunday, March 19 to raise money for two members who have entered a car in the Mystery Box Rally, which raises money for cancer research. The group will host its container sale on Saturday, March 25, where members will be selling off excess tools at bargain prices.

HBMS.MotoringEvents@gmail.com or 0417 531 670

Speedcubing competition

Rubik’s Cube masters are encouraged to register to compete in an upcoming Speedcubing Australia competition. March 18 from 9am to 6.30pm and March 19 from 8.30am to 4.45pm. Seaworks, 82 Nelson Place, Williamstown.

www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/SpeedcubingatSeaworks2023

Walking group

The Altona Meadows and Newport Heart Foundation Walking Group is a local community of men and women committed to walking together, socialising together with a post-walk coffee and chat and enjoying the natural beauty and birdlife that is to be found throughout Hobsons Bay together. Anyone is welcome to join the group on Mondays 10am at Altona Beach, Wednesdays 10am at Altona Meadows (Jolly Miller Café) or on Fridays 10am, at Newport Lakes. The group walks for 60 minutes and enjoys the physical and psychological benefits of walking together in clean, fresh air rain, hail or shine, at its own pace and according to individual abilities. Members are required to register with the Heart Foundation in order to join. Hobsons Bay resident Ian Watson established the walking group four years ago under the Heart Foundation’s umbrella, and, in 2021, was awarded the Heart Foundation’s Australia wide Golden Shoe Award for Courage and Commitment.

■ Ian Watson, 0411 566 862 or www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Whats-On/Altona-Meadows-and-Newport-Heart-Foundation-Walking-Groups

AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club

Would you like to develop confidence in communicating, competence with language and clarity in writing? AeroSpeakers Toastmasters Club would like to invite any and all residents to join them on the first and third Thursday of every month to help develop public speaking, communication and leadership skills. The group meets at the Laverton Community Hub, 95-105 Railway Avenue, Laverton from 7-9.30pm.

■ Vimi, 0411 530 944

Parkinson’s support

Does Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions affect you or a loved one? Parkando is hosting an information day and carers group launch event at the Newport Community Hub from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday, February 25.

parkando.org.au or Pam, 0417 690 335

These Bodies of Video Works

Melbourne-based artist Scotty So works across a range of media, using painting, photography, sculptures, site-responsive installation, videos, and drag performance. He is bringing his new exhibition which explores the relationship between performance and the performer’s body through the mediums of video and objects to the Footscray Community Arts Centre. The exhibition is launching on February 14, with a special event scheduled from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and running to June 14.

footscrayarts.com/event/these-bodies-of-video-works

Musicians wanted

Established in 1979, the Westgate Concert Band is seeking new members. Do you play woodwind, brass or percussion and are looking for a welcoming place to play enjoyable and challenging music? Rehearsals held Saturday mornings during school terms, 9am to 12noon at Braybrook College.

westgateconcertband@gmail.com

Newport Folk and Fiddle Beginner Play Along Group

Welcome in the new year by taking up an instrument or dusting off that guitar or ukulele or other instrument and joining the Newport Folk and Fiddle Beginning Play Along group. Absolute beginners or those with some experience are welcome at the safe, casual and welcoming environment. Come on down, have some fun, make new friends, have a cuppa and maybe even learn something new. Children are also most welcome. Saturday, February 18 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. 2nd Newport Scouts, 6 Market Street, Newport.

www.nffc.org.au/beginner-playalong

Comedy talent

For one night only, Williamstown Town Hall will play host to some of the biggest names in comedy, including Bob Franklin, DeAnne Smith, Celia Pacquola, Nick Cody and Dane Simpson. Williamstown Town Hall, 104 Ferguson Street, Williamstown. Friday, April 7 from 8pm.

www.comedyfestival.com.au/2023/shows/neighbourhood-sessions

Woodcarving workshop

Aimed at all levels of ability in the ancient and international craft of woodcarving. Women are welcome. Bring your own tools and projects if possible. Or do you have Grandpa’s old gouges to donate? Tuesdays from 9.30am to noon at the Hobsons Bay Men’s Shed at 280 Queen Street in Altona.

jah2802rot@gmail.com

Free English conversation class

Is English your 2nd language? Do you want to improve your English skills and meet new people? Practice English conversation in informal interactive group sessions. Light refreshments provided. Mondays during school terms from 1pm to 3pm at the Altona Library meeting room at Queen Street, Altona.

■ Joe Pellone, 0431 915 970 or joepellone@gmail.com or Jill Mackenzie, 0439 994 705 or jill.mackenzie111@gmail.com

Willin Wimmin choir

Williamstown-based women’s community choir Willin Wimmin is currently welcoming new members to take part in a free no-obligation try out session. The group meets each Wednesday evening in school terms in the Church of Christ hall at the corner of John Street and Douglas Parade in Williamstown from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There are no auditions and you don’t need to be able to read music.

willin.wimmin@gmail.com

Machine Imagining

Machine Imagining is an arts project inviting the Maribyrnong community to explore the natural world in collaboration with machine intelligence. Through a series of free workshops, community members will be invited to draw creatures from the local area – plants, animals and insects. These drawings and photos will then be used to produce a community database of observations of the local, natural world, and used to train machine learning models to generate new, machine imaginings of the Maribyrnong area. They will finally be arranged into large hanging textiles, and finished with hand embroidery and displayed at Braybrook Community Hub. 10.30am to 12.30pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Tuesday, January 31 to Saturday, February 25. Free. Braybrook Community Hub, 107-139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook.

maribyrnong-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_cab0fb250a664bad8521f34d56bf8b6a

Your Career: Your Way

The ‘Your Career: Your Way’ program will run for nine weeks and is designed to help individuals explore their strengths and values, learn from industry experts and gain the knowledge and skills to become job ready. This program allows you to focus on your career needs in your own way. It aims to help give you the confidence to decide what your career means to you. From day one, you’ll connect with like-minded local people and participate in a range of practical face-to-face workshops that help you understand your own skill sets and job readiness. Registrations are now open for this free program. This program is provided in partnership with Skills and Job Centres and Victoria University. Mondays from 9.30am to 12.30pm from Monday, February 6 to Monday, April 3. Braybrook Community Hub, 107-139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook.

maribyrnong-events.bookable.net.au/#!/event-detail/ev_2fa6aa720a074995bd4cd86729bff201