There will be plenty of activities during the week-long Seniors Festival, with the official opening at 9am on February 18 at the Smithurst Theatre.

Activities will include bingo, a mystery bus tour, movie morning at The Civic, and a fund-raiser performance by Elysian Performing Arts.

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Gunnedah councillor Gae Swain said the celebrations focused on recognising the contributions made by the local elderly community.

“The seniors are the people who’ve built our community,” Cr Swain said.

“They set the foundation stones for what Gunnedah is today.”

She said the Seniors Festival was a great way for locals to socialise.

“It’s an opportunity for some of the quieter elderly to join in with people in their own age group and just have a chat and share with one another’s past experiences,” she said.

“Some don’t feel comfortable going out, but when there are activities like this ... it’s really important to [make some connections].”

Cr Swain shared a quote from Sir William Deane in 1996, which she believes highlights the role seniors play in communities.

“The past is never fully gone. It is absorbed into the present and the future. It stays to shape what we are and what we do,” she quoted.

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