Please Note: Walk to Work Day 2020 has been postponed due to COVID-19 to Friday 1 September 2023

What is Walk to Work Day?

Walk to Work Day, on Friday 1 September 2023, helps employers and employees build regular walking into their daily routine and, at the same time, support a worthwhile cause. This year, the event continues to support Diabetes Australia.

Diabetes Australia Walk to Work Day promotes regular walking as a healthy activity and that will help people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes (better physical, mental and social health) and raise funds for Diabetes Australia.

It's easy to get involved!

Just follow these 2 simple steps to support the campaign:

1. Get walking! Walk as much as you can on Walk to Work Day – Friday 3 September 2021.
   If you can't walk all the way, use public transport and get off the bus, train, tram or ferry a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way to work or take a half-hour walk at lunchtime.
   Walk in a group or individually – all walking helps support this important message.
2. Spread the word! Ask your family, friends and work colleagues to do the same.

PUT YOUR FEET FIRST AND MAKE WALKING WORK FOR YOU!

When is Walk to Work Day?

Friday, 1 September 

What is International Space Week?

International Space Week is the largest space event on Earth and an ideal time for educators to use space-based activities to excite students about science and technology. The theme for World Space Week 2023, “Space and Entrepreneurship”, recognizes the growing significance of the commercial space industry in space, and the increasing opportunities for space entrepreneurship and new benefits of space developed by space entrepreneurs. 

When is International Space Week?

Sunday, 4 October and ends on Saturday, 10 October

Activities:

• Discussing and learning about space, planet names and what planet we live on
• Asking parents and the community to drop off recycling items to be used to bottle rockets to send off into orbit
• What does an alien look like to you – with some loose parts and a tub of playdough your children can create their perfect aliens themselves?
• Makle a planet mask (see here)
• Class project - make your own galaxy
• Set out a painting area to encourage childre to paint the sun, moon and stars and hang around their galaxy
• Make telescopes with painted and decorated cardboard rolls
• Make stretchy galaxy slime (see here)
• Children creating their own stained glass earth suncatchers
• Children making balloon straw rocket

Enjoy your space activities!

What is International Day of Sign Languages?

International Day of Sign Languages raises awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.There are approximately 72 million deaf people worldwide. More than 80% of them live in developing countries. Collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages.

When is International Day of Sign Languages?

Saturday, 23 September

Activities: 

• Manners Matter - Teach the children some easy signs that can be used throughout the whole year:
  • Please: Use flat hand to make a circular motion on your chest. The motion goes toward your shoulder in a circle
  • Sorry: Use a fist (S sign) and do the same circular motion on your chest as you do for please sign.
  • Thank you: Touch the fingertips of one hand to your chin then move hand away from the body.
  • You’re Welcome: Touch fingertips of one hand to your chin and move hand in an arc motion to your waist.
  • More: Bring all fingertips together in front of your body and tap them together.
  • Help: Fist with thumb up placed on open palm of the other hand.
    
    Then role-play a scene using a tea set, table and chairs and use manner signs.
• Teach the children some easy amimals signs that can be used throughout the whole year:
  • Dog: Pat your leg and snap fingers as if calling a dog.
  • Cat: Use one hand to pretend to pull whiskers from the side of your mouth
  • Bird: Index finger and thumb form a beak next to your chin
  • Cow: Place a Y hand (fist with thumb and index finger up) at your forehead to form a horn
  • Chicken: Begin with the bird sign (see above) then bring fingers down to the palm of the other hand and peck the hand.
  • Horse: Place thumb, index and middle fingers open at your forehead and bend fingers down.
    
    Then Sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm with the animal signs.
• Teach the children easy alphabet signs that can be used while sing the Alphabet song.

Stay safe by having a fire extinguisher handy! ... Fire extinguishers are an essential piece of safety equipment. In the event of a fire, they are your first line of defence and can be used to quickly eliminate the threat of a fire.  Fire Extinguishers minimise property damage, reduce injuries and prevent death. Childcare Centres are busy places where fire protection plays an important role in keeping students, teachers, and visitors safe.

Are you aware there are different types of fire extinguishers depending on the type of fire?

The most common types of fire extinguishers likely to be found in Child Care Centres are Water Fire Extinguishers which work by removing heat from the fire; and Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers are tanks of foam or dry powder with compressed nitrogen as the propellant. They work by smothering the fire. When you put a layer of powder or foam on the fire, you cut the fuel off from the oxygen around it, and the fire goes out.

Fire extinguishers should not be used by people who have not been trained. Before tackling a fire with a fire extinguisher make sure you or someone else has sounded the fire alarm and that you have a safe evacuation route. You need to also ensure you are using the correct type of extinguisher for the fire.

Using a fire extinguisher incorrectly or without taking the proper precautions can actually put you and everyone around you at serious risk.

Fire extinguisher training has been the law since 2005 and every business needs at least one person who has been adequately trained and appointed as the fire warden.

Full maintenance checks must be conducted on all fire extinguishers within the business on an annual basis, according to WHS Legislation requirements.

Are you and your staff educated on the use of fire extinguishers?  Are your extinguishers easily accessible in the event of an emergency?  Are your extinguishers properly maintained?

For further information and any assistance Contact Matthew at AFS Group on (02) 9531 7839.

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.  Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust our brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex®, Scott®, Huggies®, Kotex® and Depend®, Kimberly-Clark holds No.1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. 

To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the Company’s 145-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.au
or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  Huggies

Kimberly-Clark Australia and New Zealand

• Kimberly-Clark is a global leader in “Essentials for a better life” in Consumer and B2B markets.
• Kimberly-Clark Australia and New Zealand (KCANZ) is headquartered at Milsons Point, Sydney NSW.
• The company markets leading brands including the Kleenex®, Huggies®, U by Kotex®, Poise^® and Depend^® ranges, and VIVA® paper towel.
• Kimberly-Clark Professional is the company’s B2B business.
• KCA employs around 1200 employees in Australia and New Zealand and operations include: 
  • Millicent Mill: Kleenex® Facial and Bath tissue and Viva® Products
  • Distribution centres and sales offices in major capital centres

For further information visit www.kimberly-clark.com.au or Contact Michelle Burns on 0417 454 015 or via email Michelle.Burns@kcc.com