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Make Your Gift List! Santa Claus is Coming to Westfield Chermside

Photo Credit: Supplied

Have you made your gift list and checked it twice? Santa has and he is on his way to Westfield Chermside.

Look out for Santa Claus on Saturday, 12 November 2022, at 9:00 a.m. near Event Cinemas on Level 1. There will be music, dancing and cheer so let’s start the most wonderful time of year by welcoming the jolly man back to his red chair.

After two years of socially distanced Christmas photos, the highly anticipated tradition of family photos with Santa is back to its holly jolly best, with the man in red welcoming guests to once again stand by his side, join him on his red velvet throne, or even find a spot on his knee.

Bookings are now open for the full suite of Santa photography, including:

The introduction of Auslan Santa at Westfield Chermside, giving children who are Deaf or hard of hearing the chance to share their Christmas wish list directly with an Auslan-fluent Santa;
Sensitive Santa, where families can enjoy a relaxed, sensory-friendly experience; and
Pet Photography, for families whose children include their furry, feathered or scaled babies.

The festive season will be in full swing for families in all Westfield centres with Santa photography, surprise and delight moments, community gifting opportunities and festive celebrations as we officially welcome Mr Claus and his elves to town. To celebrate Santa’s arrival, Westfield Living Centres in Queensland will be decking the halls and hosting the following festivities:

Westfield Carindale	Santa has made his list and checked it twice. Customers will be asked to welcome Santa and his trusted elves in style to Westfield Carindale at 10am and 12pm, 12 November.
	Holiday bites & delights at Westfield Carindale every Saturday in November from 10am: Throughout November, Chef Carmel will be coming to the centre and showcasing a range of quick, easy, and delicious dishes (both savory and sweet!) that anyone can recreate at home.
Westfield Coomera	Join Santa, Mrs Claus and their merry friends as they parade throughout the whole centre, bringing festive cheer from 10am and then again at 12pm, 12 November
Westfield Mt Gravatt	This year, Santa’s parade will be joined by stilt walkers, pianists, singers, and snowflake ballerinas to bring the festive cheer at 9am, 12 November.
Westfield Helensvale	From hip-hop dancing elves, magical fairies, a marching band and the arrival of Santa, Westfield Helensvale will be welcoming the Christmas magic into centre at 9:30 am, 12 November.
Westfield North Lakes	Santa will be arriving at Westfield North Lakes joined by your Minions Bob and Stuart, PAW Patrol’s Chase and Marshall and Smurf’s Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and many more memorable characters.
	Join Rudolph and Mrs. Claus for a magical breakfast at Coffee Hit, exclusive to Westfield Plus members. Tickets will be available from Sunday 13 November.

The fun doesn’t stop with Santa’s Arrival! Until Wednesday 30 November, customers can be in to ‘Win Westfield’s Top Christmas Gifts’, entering the Westfield Plus Zone for a chance to win one of five prize packs stuffed with this Christmas’ must-have goodies.

Customers can visit their local Westfield centre website to discover the full line-up of festivities. Bookings are essential for Santa photography sessions and can be made online via: www.westfield.com.au

What To Buy At Burnie Brae Christmas Market

It’s that time of the year again! If you’re wondering where to go around Chermside to shop for gifts, the Burnie Brae Christmas Market is a great place to start, with over 25 stalls featuring artisan goods from local artists. Here are some ideas on what to buy at the markets.

Read: Coming to Westfield Chermside: Auslan Santa Experience for Hearing-Impaired Children

Scented candles

Burnie Brae Christmas Market — Photo credit: BY RBNSN/Facebook

Your loved one will remember you with every whiff, and most good quality scented candles look just as good as they smell, making them a perfect accessory to any room.

BY RBNSN will be debuting at the Christmas market, all set to launch their simple and fresh candle scents. With their classic and minimalist design, the candles here make a perfect gift regardless of the recipient’s gender.

Handmade jewellery

Handmade gifts make people feel extra special, because there’s hard work behind making the gift. Spirit Alchemy specialises in locally handmade jewellery from Brisbane, using stunning semi-precious stones ethically sourced from around the world. For the jewellery loving people in your life, choose from their jewellery and crystals, as well as orgone energy.

Personalised mugs/jars

Glass jars are perfect for storing treats like sweets and biscuits, and you can use them as storage for pasta and rice. A.L.K Kreations has personalised glass storage jars with bamboo lids. Aside from jars, you can also find serving platters, coffee mugs, tumblers, and reusable cutlery from this stall.

Money/Gift pouches

Giving cash isn’t only convenient. It also allows the recipient to buy what they want or need. If you need a presentable money pouch, check out Lady Craftsalot On The Go Co, a shop specialising in handmade crafts, greeting cards, and paper gifts.

Hand-decorated wine cups and bottle

Photo credit: Lil bit of Craft by Kaz/Facebook

Check out Lil bit of Craft by Kaz and their colourful wine cups and bottles. Each piece is individually handcrafted from resin and handmade in Brisbane. They also have keyrings and festive earrings.

Read: Get Ready to Par-tee! Mini Golf Course and Bar Opens in Chermside

Beyond shopping, you shouldn’t miss the craft workshops run by Burnie Brae art teacher Petra. Learn how to make reusable gift bags or make an alcohol ink Christmas pot that you can put on display or give as a gift to loved ones.

The full list of stall lineups will be announced on Burnie Brae’s Event’s page, so don’t forget to follow them for updates!

Mark your calendars!

What	Burnie Brae Christmas Market
Where	60 Kuran St, Chermside
When	Saturday, 26 November 2022, 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Coming to Westfield Chermside: Auslan Santa Experience for Hearing-Impaired Children

Westfield Chermside and selected Westfield Living centres will soon be visited by Auslan Santa, as part of a pilot program to bring Christmas cheer to deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Following the success of the 2019-launched Westfield’s Sensitive Santa – a program for children with sensory processing challenges – Westfield announced the launch of Auslan Santa. The sessions, conducted in Australian Sign Language (Auslan) will be longer and will have helpers and an interpreter on hand to facilitate the activities.

Sensitive Santa started as a trial concept made available for those with sensory challenges, anxiety, disabilities, or families who simply require more time. It was initially trialled in one Westfield centre in 2017 before being rolled out to all 42 centres in 2019 across Australia and New Zealand.

“Auslan Santa continues our commitment to make the magical Santa experience more accessible to more of our customers. We are very proud to launch this pilot initiative in selected Westfield Living Centres this year, with a view to launch it more widely in 2023 and beyond.”
Scentre Group National Community Experience Manager, Pam Wilson

Auslan Santa is coming to Westfield featuring the Callaghan family — Auslan_Santa is coming to Westfield featuring the Callaghan family | Photo Credit: Dan Gosse

The new Auslan Santa program is developed in collaboration with Deaf Australia and will offer the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community the opportunity to visit select Westfield Living Centres in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, including Westfield Chermside, to enjoy their own dedicated Auslan Santa session.

Deaf Australia is a peak Deaf-led organisation representing Deaf, Deafblind and hard-of-hearing people in Australia who use Auslan (aka Australian Sign Language) as their primary form of communication. In addition to supporting the development of Auslan Santa at Westfield, Deaf Australia and event service providers, Scene to Believe, have also been working to educate and train all Westfield Santas to better interact with Deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Bookings are open for Auslan Santa in Queensland at Westfield Chermside on Friday 02 December 2022. Westfield Parramatta in New South Wales and Westfield Southland in Victoria will hold their separate Auslan Santa sessions.

New South Wales
Westfield Parramatta
Date: Saturday 26 November
Time: 3pm – 6pm

Victoria
Westfield Southland
Date: Sunday 27 November
Time: 3pm – 6pm

Queensland
Westfield Chermside
Date: Friday 02 December
Time: 3pm – 6pm

Santa Photography Key Dates:

Bookings open to Westfield Plus members: 12 October 2022
Santa’s arrival in Westfield Centres: From 12 November 2022
Photography dates: From 12 November (may vary by centre) until 24 December 2022

Customers can find out more and book sessions by visiting the Westfield website.

Book here.

Westfield Chermside | Gympie Rd, Chermside QLD 4032, Australia

Get Ready to Par-tee! Mini Golf Course and Bar Opens in Chermside

Photo Credit: Facebook / Holey Moley

A mini golf course and bar is set to open in Westfield Chermside, offering a multi-sensory maze of uniquely themed holes plus a full-service bar to boot.

Holey Moley Mini Golf Course and Bar — Photo Credit: Facebook / Holey Moley

Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre will be welcoming Holey Moley this coming November 2022, the third location in Brisbane to establish putting greens after Wintergarden and Fortitude Valley. The 350-person venue will deliver 18 themed holes, including four new courses exclusively designed for Chermside – Surfs Ups, Dart Board, Moonshot, and the Mini Sonic Loophole. To also make appearances are crowd-favourites Simpsons Evergreen Terrace and Flintstones Bedrock n Roll.

Now to bring the party into full swing, the 80s and 90s-themed bar, Caddyshack, will also be on hand to serve specially concocted drinks including signature cocktails Sugar Caddy and Rub a Dub Tub. The bar will also offer a range of spirits, beers, ciders, wine and ready-to-drinks.

Smoked Beetroot Reuben / Pepperoni Pizza | Photo Credit: Facebook / Holey Moley

But what is putting and some sipping without a bit of munching? So, an array of scrumptious eats will be also available including BBQ chicken and Margherita pizzas, mouth-watering sandwiches, burgers and toasties such as Brisko Sando, Cheesesteak Burger and Cuban Toastie – all served with kettle-cooked chips and a Victorian dill and apple cider pickle.

As for the pricing, golf starts at $14 per adult and $10 for kids for 9 holes plus party packages available starting at $50.

Holey Moley is set to open on 18 November 2022 at the Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre. To pre-book a spot, click here.

Holey Moley Mini Golf Course and Bar is part of a family of brands operated by Funlab which also includes Archie Brothers fun park, Strike Bowling, B. Lucky & Sons Arcade and Game Bar and Juke Karaoke.

Holey Moley – Chermside | Shop No. MM34, Westfield Shopping Centre, Gympie Road, Chermside, Queensland, 4006

Prepare to be BOOed! Halloween Activities for Chermside Families

Photo Credit: Pexels/Pixabay

As the spooky season unfolds, here are some frightfully fun Halloween things to do in Chermside with the family.

Bands in Parks – Trick or Treat

When: Sunday, 16 October 2022
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Let the Brisbane Symphonic Band rouse your Halloween spirit as you listen to some of your favourite scary movie soundtracks at the 7th Brigade Park, along Kittyhawk Drive. Delight in a fang-tastic afternoon of spellbinding music that could also serve as a costume inspiration for trick or treating.

This is a FREE event for all ages and won’t require any booking, just drop by the park and find a spot to listen to the band.

Along Came a Spider

When: Sunday, 30 October 2022
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Geared for the under-5 kids and over 60s grandparents, this Halloween event is being held in celebration of Grandparents Day. Participants can expect to play games with their family members and create their very own dangly spider to add to their Halloween decorations at home.

Participants should dress in Halloween costumes. The session encourages active, healthy outdoor fun so bring a picnic rug and water bottles, along with essentials for sun protection.

Booking and a $5 payment are needed for this activity by phoning 0411 246 487 or signing up online. The meeting place is at the playground area of the 7th Brigade Park.

Halloween activities — Photo Credit: Freestocks Photos/Pixabay

Halloween Makerspace

Date: Monday, 31 October 2022
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Do you prefer quiet but productive Halloween activities? Creative children between 4 to 12 years old will enjoy this free spooky makerspace session at the Chermside Library along Hamilton Road.

Allow the kids to unleash their creativity by calling 07 3403 7200 to reserve.

Westfield Chermside Names Local Heroes For 2022

Two women supporting thousands of families through their charities and an Aboriginal elder who has been mentoring young people for 30 years have been named Westfield Local Heroes for 2022 at Westfield Chermside.

Read: Chermside Beauty Wins First Miss Voluptuous International Crown in Nashville

Kerry Gordon | Precious Wings

Kerry Gordon, founder of Precious Wings charity, is this year’s Local Hero, receiving a $20,000 grant for her organisation. Ms Gordon is a paediatric nurse practitioner working in the Paediatric Palliative Care Service.

The creation of Precious Wings was driven by the experience of the loss of a child. Through the charity, Ms Gordon offers love, hope, understanding, and support to families, so they never feel alone after their bereavement. The charity also educates healthcare staff about caring for bereaved families.

Rebecca Adams | First Light Widowed Association

Like Ms Gordon, Rebecca Adams is also touching people’s lives. After losing her husband at 33, six weeks after their wedding, Ms Adams put her energy into helping others in her position.

She is one of the founders of First Light Widowed Association, which provides practical and emotional support to thousands of people.

As a finalist of Westfield Local Heroes, Ms Adams received $5,000 to help her continue their work of her organisation.

Gary Cobbo | Kurbungui Youth and Family Development

Another finalist who received a $5,000 grant for his organisation was Uncle Gary Cobbo. He is a respected Aboriginal leader who has dedicated over three decades of his life mentoring and supporting hundreds of local young people.

At Kurbungui Youth and Family Development, he is always ready to offer people food and a safe place to have a yarn, efforts that he hopes will lead to life-changing interventions.

Pam Wilson, National Community Experience Manager and creator of the Westfield Local Heroes program congratulated the recipients and thanked the communities for casting their votes to help determine the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes.
“As we celebrate our fifth year of the Westfield Local Heroes program, we are once again overwhelmed by the inspiring nominations this year. Through the success of the program, we are proud to be able to continue to recognise and reward everyday people doing extraordinary work in our communities,” Ms Wilson said.

About the Westfield Local Heroes

Scentre Group’s Westfield Local Heroes program was established in 2018 to celebrate community role models whose work benefits others across a broad range of sectors, including family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience and environmental sustainability.

Read: A Tale of 4 Children and the Hummingbird House

They are nominated and voted by their communities, and they represent a diverse range of sectors. Westfield will award one Westfield Local Hero per Westfield centre a $20,000 grant for the organisation or group they represent, whilst finalists receive a $5,000 grant each.

A Tale of 4 Children and the Hummingbird House

Through the years, Hummingbird House in Chermside has helped hundreds of children with life-limiting conditions. Read all about four children whose lives have been touched and their families helped through their stay at the Hummingbird House.

Clara

Barely two years old when diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Clara is a little fighter who underwent months of rigorous treatments and tests. When her family learned that her cancer was palliative, they went to stay at Hummingbird House, where they spent her final days and had some quality family time that will be cherished forever.

Read Clara’s full story

Jack

The van der Giessen family (Photo supplied)

Jack was diagnosed with Anencephaly, a neural tube defect, and passed shortly after being born. His parents, David and Elizabeth van der Giessen were referred to the hospice, which provided the family with care, compassion, and support when they needed it the most.

Read Jack’s full story

Read: New Salvos Housing in Chermside Opens for People At Risk of Homelessness

Johnny

Johnny was diagnosed with Vanishing White Matter Leukodystrophy, a rare genetic disease that affected his motor and cognitive function. The hospice is a very special place for Johnny, because it’s where he can be most free and be himself. He gets to enjoy his art therapy and music therapy at the hospice, helping him develop the skills he loves.

Read Johnny’s full story

McKenzie

McKenzie was a 14-year-old sassy little soul, who suffered from a rare movement disorder caused by a mutated gene known as GNA01. In 2015, she was the seventh person to be diagnosed with GNA01 in the world.

McKenzie spent her last five years at the hospice, where she loved the arts and crafts, the music therapy, the hydrotherapy, discos in the pool, parties, and simply watching the sunsets from the rooftop.

Read McKenzie’s full story

About the Hummingbird House

Hummingbird House is the only children’s hospice in Queensland and one of the only three children’s hospices in Australia.

With more than 5,700 babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions across Queensland, Hummingbird House is a home away from home, providing specialised, paediatric, palliative care services and supporting families.

To help Hummingbird House and the families they support, Coles launched a fundraising program, where customers can purchase $2 donation cards at Coles stores across the state, featuring four unique designs created by Hummingbird House families.

Read: Bushcare Volunteering: Preserving Chermside Hills Reserves for the Future

Coles Queensland State General Manager Jerry Farrell said Coles is proud to be a fundraising partner with Hummingbird House.

“Our customers and team members have been passionate about supporting Hummingbird House since 2014 when the hospice was just in the planning stages, and over the past eight years we’ve raised $3.5 million together,” he said.

Chermside Beauty Wins First Miss Voluptuous International Crown in Nashville

The first Miss Voluptuous International pageant, held in Nashville U.S., has crowned its queen and it is none other than Chermside beauty, Amber Jane Powson.

Ms Powson bested several gorgeous plus-size women and role models over 14UK/AU from all over the world, including U.S., Greece, Wales and Ireland, during the April competition. Country representatives competed in the following areas: Panel Style Interview (40%), Personal Introduction (10%), National Wear (25%) and Evening Gown/Formal Wear (25%).

The pageant, however, was also about showcasing how these women are making a difference in their communities. The 25-year-old is an advocate for mental health support, after having been diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression in 2017.

Miss Voluptuous — Photo Credit: Supplied

Ms Powson has been raising awareness about mental health and body positivity after she overcame her own struggles, including a previous attempt to take her own life. The young advocate decided to join Miss Voluptuous as she knows the platform will help reach more people to break down the stigma associated with mental health.

“Around 30% of young Australians say they’re extremely, or very, concerned about their body image. This creates a higher risk of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems,” Ms Powson said.

“Only with awareness and support about body positivity and mental health was I able to graduate with a university degree, while working a part time job at a hotel, acting as an extra on blockbuster film sets, and be a plus size runway and print model.”

Apart from her new achievement as Miss Voluptuous International, Ms Powson is also an ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation Australia and Women’s Mentoring Foundation.

“The advice I give during these talks includes having compassion for yourself like you do for those you love.

“I would never tell my own sister the things I tell myself. I would never say she is a waste of space – so why on earth did I say that to myself?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amber Jane Powson (@amberpowson)

“I’ve had countless women around the world reach out to me lately after hearing this message and reminding them to be more compassionate to themselves and their bodies.

“I’m truly hoping to share this message as much as possible.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amber Jane Powson (@amberpowson)

Natalie Carley, the Director of Miss Voluptuous Pageants, said that the candidates were judged not so much on their beautiful face but also on their “passion for making a difference, a willingness to work hard and a determination to be heard.”

Whilst a beauty contest, Miss Voluptuous is also focused on platforms, volunteerism, hard work and efforts to build confidence from within. The pageant is open to all ladies aged 18 and above, size 14+, married, divorced, single, with or without children.

Meanwhile, Ms Powson’s next public appearance will be on the runway for award-winning Australian Designer Sonia Stradiotto at the Spring Fashion Show on the 28th of September 2022 in aid of The Carers Foundation Australia.

Karen’s Diner Sparks Debate: Can Burgers With a Side of Snide Be ‘Bad’ for Your (Mental) Health?

Photo Credit: Karen’s Diner / Facebook

When Karen’s Diner burst onto the dining scene last year, the novelty of a restaurant that dishes ‘burgers with a side of snide’ instantly became the talk of the town. But its unique and daring concept, along with recent incidents at their Chermside and Melbourne venues, have sparked some concerns.

“Karen is a pejorative slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people’s behaviors.” – Dictionary.com

Undoubtedly, Karen’s Diner’s unique gimmick has become a must-try hit, with most customers taking (and dishing out!) the verbal rough-housing in the spirit of fun that the concept intended.

However, some experts have expressed concerns, pointing out that incidences of verbal ‘abuse’ (albeit in the spirit of getting into the ‘swing of things’ at the restaurant) could compromise the psychological and physical safety of the establishment’s staff.

Professional therapists have also pointed out that customers who are on the receiving end of the playful and naughty antics are also exposed to psychological dangers themselves.

This is particularly concerning for the kids, one clinical psychologist said, as some jokes could potentially cross the line that could leave damaging effects on the child’s psychological health.

A Karen’s Diner – Westfield Chermside incident made the social media rounds in July 2022. Caught on the already-deleted video was a staff member making vulgar comments and doing an inappropriate sexual gesture in front of a 14-year-old girl, forcing the restaurant to apologise to the family.

A spokeswoman assured their patrons that their staff undergo stringent hiring and training processes and that the restaurant will make sure to put in place stricter training rules so that similar incidents would not ever happen.

In early June 2022, a family was escorted out of a Karen’s Diner restaurant in Melbourne after an altercation with the staff which the management said ended amicably.

Karen’s Diner house rules — House rules at Karen’s Diner | Photo Credit: Karen’s Diner / bemorekaren.com

Karen’s Diner is an interactive burger joint that attempts to make the dining experience more fun with their purposely rude staff and bad service that dares customers to channel their “inner Karen”, in a not-so-serious way.

The interactive restaurant’s house rules posted on its website reads, “no racism, no sexism, no homophobic commens, no body images comments, no ableist comments, do not touch our staff, no sexual remarks towards staff members.”

Chermside Nominees for 2022 Westfield Local Heroes: Who’s Your Pick?

Make your pick known for the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes and shine the spotlight on the inspiring individuals who make such a positive impact in their communities. Here are the nominees from Chermside.

The 2022 Westfield Local Heroes awards program recognises the people whose work and advocacy contributes to the upliftment of the community. About 126 grants will be given across Westfield outlets in Australia and New Zealand.

These individuals, and their organisation, are recognised for their work in in areas like family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience, and environmental sustainability.

Here are the nominees from Chermside.

Kerry Gordon

Kerry, a paediatric nurse practitioner, is also the founder of Precious Wings, which helps families and educates the healthcare staff of those caring for the bereaved. If Kerry is successful, Precious Wings will use its funds to set up its new premises with storage racking, furniture, and IT equipment.

Rebecca Adams

Rebecca founded the First Light Widowed Association, which offers practical and emotional support for widows, especially those who have lost their spouses at a young age. If Rebecca is successful, the First Light Widowed Association will use its funds to cover the cost of producing information packs and running support events.

Uncle Gary Cobbo

Uncle Gary, a respected Aboriginal Elder runs the Kurbingui Youth and Family Development, which mentors hundreds of young locals. If Uncle Gary is successful, Kurbingui Youth and Family Development will use its funds to run programs that provide assistance and linkages to employment and training for the youth.

Learn about their work and VOTE here.

Winners of this recognition per centre will receive a $20,000 grant that will support their work for the organisation they represent. Each of the finalists, on the other hand, will get $5,000.

Check the full list of nominees here.

Voting closes on Monday, 22 Aug 2022.