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Governor-General visits local aged care facilities & Yass Valley Men’s Shed

Australia’s Governor General David Hurley and his wife Linda spent the day in Yass last Thursday.

Beginning their morning at Horton House and Warmington Lodge, their tour focused on visiting facilities from one of the hardest-hit industries due to restrictions enforced with the pandemic.

The Governor General calling out the numbers for a bingo game

His excellency began with a briefing from board members and management.

He was advised on some of the struggles of 2020 in aged care and the facility’s current position.

The Hurley’s were then taken on a tour of the complex, where the Governor-General called out the numbers for the Bingo game, read trivia questions and participated in a spirited rendition of Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell’s classic hit “You are my sunshine”, led by his wife, Linda.

The Governor-General then made his way to the Yass Valley Men’s Shed, where he was received by Shed President Allan McGrath, with patron Yass Valley Mayor Rowena Abbey in attendance.

Mr Hurley said he appreciates the work of the Men’s Sheds around the country and found the community at the Yass Valley Men’s Shed to be no different.

The Governor General with Yass Valley Men’s Shed President Allan McGrath

He delivered a powerful speech in which he shared his thoughts on the various difficult experiences that 2020 provided and revealed that these difficult experiences and the response from the community made much of the content of his sole letter to the Queen since becoming governor General in mid-2019.

He declared his belief that community groups like the Yass Valley Men’s Shed help the country recover every time it experiences a form of disaster and pleaded with the members in attendance to continue their good work.

All in all, both the Governor-General and his wife were resoundingly popular with everyone they crossed paths with, and they presented as both genuine and down-to-earth. In the current political climate, it was a refreshing change of pace.

Max O’Driscoll

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