Volunteering is a fantastic way to contribute to the local community, and when it comes to seniors, the benefits of giving something back simply compound.

Older adults who volunteer find it brings them a sense of purpose, connection and inclusion as well as helping them build lasting friendships. But there are also many health benefits as well. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to keep your mind and body active and is well linked by research to improved mental health and a reduction in the symptoms of depression. For those suffering from a chronic illness, it’s reported to act as a great stress reliever and distraction, particularly for seniors with conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with volunteering during Seniors Week from October 8-13. If you’ve always been interested but aren’t sure how to get started, Impact Volunteering holds Volunteering Information Sessions at the Frankston Library from 10-11am on the second Tuesday of every month.

To find out more about how you can volunteer to improve your health and well-being in later life or for more information about the many volunteering opportunities available, head to the Impact Volunteering Information & Referral desk located at the Frankston Library from Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm, or visit the Impact Volunteering website at impactvolunteering.org.au

IMPACT VOLUNTEERING

A: 20 Ebdale St, Frankston

T: 9770 6492

E: [email protected]

FB: ImpactVolunteering

INSTA: impactvolunteering

With two self-contained dwellings complementing the three-bedroom, two-bathroom main house, 9 Plummer Ave represents a suite of opportunities for the new owners. Set on approximately 1451sqm with northerly bay views and terraced gardens adjoining Sweetwater Creek, this circa 1930s estate is just four doors from the beach.

As well as the main residence, there is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom retreat and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit. Largely original, the property includes a double garage with remote-controlled doors, heating/cooling, water tanks, and a mini-orchard.

Enjoy dual living with your extended family, work from home atop gorgeous Olivers Hill or make this property work for you with its income-generating potential. The choices are yours.

HARCOURTS CENTRAL

A: 4/454 Nepean Highway, Frankston

T: 1300 503 000

FB: harcourtscentral3199

INSTA: harcourts_central

Do you put off buying a new mattress because you’re concerned the in-store test won’t reflect a night’s sleep? You’re in store and you’ve laid down on what seems like 50 different mattresses, and they are all starting to blur in your head. And in the end, when you choose your favourite mattress, you’re thinking “Does this really reflect a whole night’s sleep?” Yep, we’ve all been there. But Bedshed understands this, and it has introduced the Bedshed 60 Night Comfort Guarantee to conquer this issue.

It’s a revolutionary idea designed to give you complete peace of mind when purchasing a new mattress. Just buy any mattress from a Bedshed store and sleep on it for a minimum of 30 nights. If you don’t totally fall in love with it, you can return it for a new one (terms and conditions apply). As if this couldn’t get any better, the returned mattresses are donated to the Salvation Army.

This chance to buy with assurance is unique to Bedshed and gives you the chance to shop with complete confidence because you know that you’ll be sleeping on the right mattress for you — it just might be the second one you take home but that’s fine because it won’t cost you an extra cent. To take advantage of the return and re-select offer, the mattress must have been slept on for a minimum of 30 nights from the date of delivery and has to be returned within 60 days from the day of delivery. The mattress exchange is also only limited to one replacement mattress.

For further terms and conditions, visit bedshed.com.au/blog/60-night-comfort-guarantee

Brushtail and ringtail possum numbers are falling because of urbanisation. AWARE Wildlife Rescue president Sharon Bondy suggests what we can do to help these Australian natives survive and thrive.

“Valuing native wildlife in our suburbs is important. Seeing possums not as invasive pests that need to be eradicated but as part of Australian life is key to their survival. In the last 12 months AWARE Wildlife Rescue have tended to nearly 500 possums. Many have been negatively impacted by urban development, which reduces food sources and places for them to nest. As their habitat is fragmented, increased numbers of possums are being hit by cars as they are forced to cross roads in the search for food. Many become malnourished, then can’t produce milk for their babies, or they become prey for foxes, dogs and cats.”

One thing we can do to help is plant natives like eucalypts, bottlebrushes, tea-trees, banksias, lilly pillys, grevilleas, and wattles in our gardens. Not only will the possums have the correct food source, they’ll have housing too. If they’re in your roof, you could provide a nest box and place it in a tree close to your roof.

“You can obtain instructions on how to construct a nest box or where to find a nest box supplier from AWARE Wildlife Rescue or from DELWP (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning). Possums are territorial, so if one adopts the nest box it is likely to keep others away from your roof and garden area,” continues Sharon.  

Remember, brushtail and ringtail possums are Australian native nocturnal species. Become aware of how to live with them before they disappear. For ever.

AWARE WILDLIFE RESCUE

Emergency Hotline: 0412 433 727

E:

W: awarewildlife.org.au

FB: AWARE wildlife

INSTA: @AWAREWildlifeRescue

Supreme seclusion and a central location unite in this appealing townhouse with a delightful courtyard just five minutes from Frankston.

The three-bedroom, one-bathroom domain at 28/95 Ashleigh Ave occupies a secure position at the rear of a boutique townhouse and villa development, with an onsite pocket park just one door away. This is a quiet, low-maintenance lifestyle close to schools, shops, bus stops and reserves.

The double-storey townhouse boasts a northerly orientation and a landscaped, wrap-around courtyard with an inviting wide-plank alfresco merbau deck and merbau bench seating. The single garage has a remote-controlled door and secure internal access, and there’s a designated parking bay and an adjacent visitor’s park.

The generous ground-floor kitchen includes a stainless steel oven and dishwasher and a gas cooktop. A handy laundry and downstairs toilet, a living room and a tiled meals space with a courtyard outlook complete this level.

The first-floor accommodation includes a spacious master bedroom with a walk-in robe and split system heating/cooling plus two secondary bedrooms with built-in robes. A large double vanity semi-ensuite with a separate bath tub and shower plus a separate toilet accommodates busy families with ease.

Other appointments include ducted heating, security doors, a covered entrance porch and more, making this an excellent first home, downsizing opportunity or investment.

HARCOURTS CENTRAL

A: 4/454 Nepean Highway, Frankston

T: 1300 503 000

FB: harcourtscentral3199

INSTA: harcourts_central

Whisper Cellular Blinds by Dollar Curtains + Blinds are more than your average blind. Their unique cellular construction creates its own layer of insulation by allowing air to be trapped within each cell, resulting in savings of up to 32 per cent on heating costs compared with a standard roller blind. Not only can you enjoy these insulation benefits and energy savings through winter but also through summer whereby the summer heat is reduced, saving you up to 32 per cent more on your cooling costs.

Along with the energy efficiency benefits, Whisper Cellular Blinds also have no visible seams, cords or cord holes, creating a beautiful, streamlined solution. They are also available in a variety of easy-to-use and child-safe operating systems and specialised shapes, including a skylight system, providing the ideal solution for your windows. They have slimline hardware that minimises light gaps and maximises views when drawn open.

Dollar Curtains + Blinds has specialised in manufacturing custom blinds for more than 50 years, all made right here in Melbourne. Check out Dollar Curtains + Blinds on Instagram for ideas on how window coverings can truly transform your home!

Visit DC+B’s new flagship store at Store 15, Kingston Central Plaza, 288 Centre Dandenong Rd, Mentone, just next to Moorabbin airport. Call the team on 9566 8200 for your free in-home measure and quote. Alternatively contact the Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by the showroom at Shop C4, Peninsula Home, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington.

DOLLAR CURTAINS + BLINDS

A: Store 15, Kingston Central Plaza, 288 Centre Dandenong Rd, Mentone

T: 9566 8200

A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren

T: 9704 8654

A: Shop C4, Peninsula Home, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington

T: 5975 3655

FB: Dollar Curtains + Blinds

INSTA: @dollarcurtainsandblinds

Move over, purple — the people have spoken and sage is this year’s most popular colour. It's no secret by now that next summer season will be swimming in pastel palettes, and sage is the colour currently proving to be the stand-out star of soft shades. Powder blue who?

With searches for sage decor up 170 per cent, the Pinterest community has pushed aside Pantone's potent 18-3838 Ultra Violet in favour of what they have decided is 2018's most popular colour in interior design.

An essential herb and a member of the mint family, sage's earthy and refreshing hue is being hailed as the newest addition to the neutral colour palette, too. Now you can go green instead of grey with an understated shade that will instantly make your interiors feel invigorated, and will maintain a natural home aesthetic.

Simple and with a familiarity that enriches a space, sage is also ideal for adding to a wabi-sabi space. The Japanese Zen concept of wabi-sabi, when reflected in interior design, emphasises the beauty of pared-back decoration and an organic look. A humble shade such as sage can make you feel more at home and back to your roots, letting you experience your space more mindfully than any lavish colour could.

In response to the huge colour trend, sage is also being incorporated in wallpaper designs.

You can then accent the colour with lush plants, as well as hints of matcha and honeydew melon hues in your decor to keep the fresh green feeling going.

The shade isn't intense and it isn't overly overcast — sage is a gentle, matte shade that is easy on the eyes and the mind, so there's no need to hesitate on that desire you have to drench your room's walls in the topical tint.

Most gardeners will tell you their compost is the life source of their garden. For those with an edible garden, composting is important to maintain the health and fertility of our soils, and therefore nutrition in our crops. There are three main composting methods that homeowners can use: compost heaps (including bays and bins), worm farms, and liquid manures.

Bulk garden waste, spent crops and lawn clippings can go into the traditional compost heap, compost bay or compost bin. It is important that the compost receives sufficient oxygen to feed the bacterial driving force at its heart, that the pile has adequate moisture, that it’s layered well and has a good ratio of dry-to-wet matter. It is worth doing some research in order to understand the composting process better to produce optimum results.

The easiest way to deal with kitchen food waste is to use a worm farm. These can be readily purchased from nurseries and hardware stores, though it is easy to make your own using recycled materials such as polystyrene boxes, bathtubs or old rubbish bins. When used well, worm farms don’t tend to smell as much as the common compost bin. You also get the added benefit of a constant supply of worm juice and worm castings, some of the best natural fertilisers you can get (depending on what you feed them, of course).

And don’t forget that a few backyard chooks are very industrious vegetable and fruit waste recyclers.

We can use weeds separately to form liquid manures. Old bins work well for this purpose. Comfrey, nettle, nasturtiums or abundant herbs will all benefit your liquid manure by increasing the range of nutrients and minerals in your solution.

Using a combination of systems can provide you with an array of ready-to-use fertilisers for your food crops.

Happy composting!

Drew Cooper, Edible Gardens
ediblegardens.com.au

It was a smart decision by John and Mary a year ago to start a business that provides quality designer furniture that is accessible to everyone through their show-stopping wholesale prices. It was an even smarter move to respond to their success by progressing from an online store to a warehouse where they invite everyone to touch, feel, sit, and even lie down to explore their quality furniture options in person.

“Our display is warehouse style so that our products are the hero, not the warehouse. We are all about the furniture,” said John. “And when you’re here you deal with us directly, the owners.”

At Smart Living Furniture’s warehouse, John and Mary sell to you direct from Australia’s largest quality furniture manufacturer so you can expect to see brand new furniture made from Australian timber and materials. There’s now no need to visit clearance stores that sell ex-demo, ex-display or damaged furniture because John and Mary don’t sacrifice quality for price.

They boast wholesale prices on brand new quality designer furniture from Australia’s largest manufacturer that is available at major retailers for 50 per cent more.  They strongly believe in offering superior dining room tables, deluxe lounges, tallboys and much more to everyone. They want designer furniture to be accessible to everyone — so much so that they focus on keeping their overheads low to keep the prices down and pass the savings on to the customer.

Don’t wait for your favourite high-end retailer to have an EOFY sale. Shop smart and snap up an absolute bargain at John and Mary’s warehouse today and join their grand opening raffle for your chance to win a dining suite.

SMART LIVING FURNITURE
A: 3/100 Dandenong Rd, Frankston (cnr Tooyal St and Dandenong Rd)
W: smartlivingfurniture.com.au
T: 0411 330 287
FB: @smartlivingfurnitureau
INSTA: @smartlivingfurniture

Grace and grand design unite atop Olivers Hill with this sweeping English-inspired luxury residence in the exclusive Bruarong Mews.

Welcome to one of Frankston South’s most prestigious addresses. Bruarong Mews is a unique gated community of three premium homes set around a magnificent circular drive with a water feature.

With sprawling dimensions and gabled entry, 2/9 Bruarong Cres takes pride of place in the turning circle, on 878sq m (approx) with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living rooms, two powder rooms and garaging for three cars.

This is the largest of the three, with a lush garden, an entertaining terrace and an outdoor spa. The first floor captures a delightful view of Frankston beach and Port Phillip Bay. 

This is an exceptionally secure and private offering. It is walking distance to the beach, within the Frankston High School zone and a short drive to Mount Eliza Village’s shops and the Frankston CBD.

HARCOURTS CENTRAL
A: 4/454 Nepean Highway, Frankston
T: 1300 503 000

If you haven’t heard of these before you may be thinking this sounds too good to be true. Dollar Curtains & Blinds’ double roller blinds have a double bracket system that combines two fabrics on the same window, allowing you to have both a block-out fabric for keeping the light out and a sheer or sunscreen fabric for when you want to see out. One blind for the day and one blind for the night — two blinds in one!

Control of each blind is separate so you can enjoy your window views and soft diffused light during the day and have complete privacy and darkness at night. How handy is that! Plus, during these chilly winter months with double roller blinds you’ll receive double the insulation benefits to help keep the cold out of your home.

DCB’s roller blinds are custom-manufactured in Melbourne and the decorator team can manufacture custom pelmets for you in matching fabrics. The pelmets further increase your windows’ insulation and also conceal the blind hardware and componentry underneath, creating a complete finish.

Sound like the window covering solution you’ve been searching for? It’s easy to see why double roller blinds are becoming so popular because they meet the brief for so many homeowners.

Check out Dollar Curtains & Blinds on Instagram for ideas on how window coverings can transform your home. Call 9704 8654 or visit the Fountain Gate team at 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren. Alternatively, contact the Mornington team on 5975 3655 or drop by the showroom in Shop C4, Peninsula Home, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington.

Both showrooms are open seven days.

DOLLAR CURTAINS & BLINDS
A: 10/44 Victor Cres, Narre Warren
T: 9704 8654
A: Shop C4, Peninsula Home, 1128-1132 Nepean Highway, Mornington
T: 5975 3655

Frankston Beach Association was established in the early 1980s with four of its early members still currently active. Environmentalist Pat Bentley was a founding member of the organisation, as was Bob Graham. Eve Welch has given many years’ service to FBA and early member Kath Hassell was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the last Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the environment, mainly with FBA. Kath has also received other awards for her service to the community.

FBA’s motto is “Preserving the beach for all to use”. It runs a program of weeding and revegetating the dunes and more than 300,000 plants have been planted from grants obtained by the organisation. It also advocates for the preservation of the beach environment through submissions to council and government. It is currently running a campaign to ensure the current proposed breakwater does not proceed until exhaustive studies, including physical modelling from data obtained over many seasons, have been undertaken.

The current planting, weeding and rubbish collection program is supervised by Johan de Bree with a team of some 10 volunteers. Kath still provides morning tea for the workers as she has been doing for more than 30 years.

The committee of eight meets at the Long Island Tennis Club at 4.30pm on the third Wednesday of the month. FBA welcomes new members.

For more information visit FBA’s website at frankstonbeachassociation.com or contact [email protected]

SUPPLIED

One day is all it takes. Bayside Grout Solutions owner-operator Jorg Melzer specialises in tile and grout maintenance and he’s such a whiz there’s minimal downtime. All work is done without removing your existing tiles and most standard showers are rejuvenated in half a day, with your shower back in service just 24 hours later.

If you’re after a renovation look without the renovation, Jorg can restore/recolour or rejuvenate your existing grout surfaces. He’ll have your shower looking like new again in just four hours with new grout and silicone seals, the tiles polished and the shower screens cleaned. 

Repairs to leaking showers are usually completed in a day without removing any tiles, and Jorg can also replace bath and vanity seals and clean indoor or outdoor tiles. Call 0424 843 358 for a free no-obligation quote.