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The Camden Show holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Camden and surrounding districts. Despite the changing demographics of the local area the Show has maintained its rural charm and agricultural focus since the inaugural show held in March 1886 and is still one of the largest and most popular events in the Macarthur District each year.

Following the postponement of the 2022 Camden Show, the Camden Show Society has undertaken further discussions, deliberations, and consultation with various stakeholders that make it possible to hold the Show.

A few weeks ago, Camden Showground suffered its third major flood in 5 weeks, which resulted in even more damage to the grounds, buildings, and equipment around the site. Sadly, we have no choice but to advise that we must cancel the 2022 Camden Show indefinitely and look forward instead, to a better and brighter year in 2023.

The Camden Show Committee are devastated to have to cancel the 2022 Camden Show.  We would like to sincerely thank all our Members, Sponsors, Commercial Site Holders, Exhibitors and Volunteers for your ongoing and continued support over the last three years and into 2023.

Your sincerely,
Greg Wall
President
191-195 Argyle St,
Camden NSW Australia 2570

The Camden Area Family History Society will be represented at The Camden Show when it is held again in 2023 as we would showcase our collection of local family histories as well as our Pioneer Registers and local cemetery transcripts to the local population and visitors alike.

Unfortunately, the CAFHS Research Room in Camden Library will be unavailable for some weeks while we await repairs to damage from the recent rain event. Part of the ceiling has collapsed and some water entered the room. Thankfully there appears to be no damage to our resources and equipment. We have moved our computers and limited resources so that we can function as close to normally as possible.

Our Opening hours during this time are Mon-Wed by appt, Thu-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat 11am-1pm Dependant, as always, on the availability of our Volunteers.

While relocated to the Museum, we will be covered under the Library/Museum Covid-safety plan, involving the following changes:

• A limit of 3 members/visitors to Family History at any one time.
• Visitors may book in advance via email: cafhs2570@gmail.com
• Booked visitors/members will take priority over walk-in visitors
• Please do not attend if unwell, observe physical distancing, hand hygiene procedures, and wear gloves as required.

We really look forward to continuing to help our members and visitors again with their family history research!

Please be aware the Camden Research Room will close for the Christmas and New Year Festive period as of 12 noon, Saturday 11th December 2021 and will reopen to visitors at 10.30am on Thursday 13th January 2022 hopefully to a much brighter and fulfilling year.

Notice to all Members: We will be holding a Planning Meeting on Saturday 22nd January in the Galleria outside the Museum commencing at 1.30pm to discuss planning your society meetings and events for 2022. Please come along and contribute any ideas you may have to help us move forward as you would like to see the Society progressing. The more input we get from our members, the better we can construct 2022 to deliver what you, our members, want.

Cafhs has updated their Covid safe plan (as at 16th November 2021) for our Research Room and registered the update with the NSW Government to ensure a safe environment for Members and Visitors. Our Covid Safety Plan has been posted on our website for all to be assured we are doing all we can to ensure your safety.

We are pleased and excited to announce that our Research Room in the Camden Library has reopened to the Public and is open every Thursday Friday and Saturday Morning.

Opening hours are as previously advertised: Mon-Wed by appt, Thu-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat 9:30am-12noon

Our Covid-safety plan will be in effect involving the following changes:

• A limit of 3 members/visitors within the Research Room at any one time.
• Any visitors beyond the 2 permitted in Research Room (assuming 1 volunteer) will be required to remain in the study area directly outside the Research Room
• Visitors may book in advance via email: cafhs2570@gmail.com
• Booked visitors/members will take priority over walk-in visitors
• All visitors/members to check in at the Library front door using the Camden Council QR code
• Masks are mandatory while inside the Library/Museum Complex
• Research Room doors are to be fully opened during Opening Hours
• Please do not attend if unwell, observe physical distancing, hand hygiene procedures, and wear gloves as required.

We really look forward to helping our members and visitors again with their family history research!

Can you identify any of the people or places shown in these photos from our Unknown Collection that would help us to keep our databases up to date. Please go to the Camden Area Family History Unknown Photo Collection page and scroll through the 85 photographs displayed there.

Notice to all Members: Our Planning Meeting scheduled for Saturday 16th January in the Galleria outside the Museum to discuss planning your society meetings and events for 2021 has had to be postponed to a date to be fixed due to Covid-19 restrictions being reintroduced in the Greater Sydney Area.

We would still like to hear your ideas you may have to help us move forward and look at planning for the coming year so there will be Committee members at the Camden Museum from 1-4pm on Saturday so come in and say hello. The more input we get from our members, the better we can construct 2021 to deliver what you want.

Camden Area Family History Society meetings and groups are once again suspended at this time, and our research room in Camden Library Complex remains closed for the duration of the present Lockdown. When the Lockdown is lifted, we will review options to reopen our Research Room dependant on current restrictions and limited space we have available. Our committee is still working behind the scenes to provide information, produce our newsletters and journals, answer inquiries and keep things running, as well as planning how we can restart the Society’s activities and reopen the room as soon as possible.

We do have some of our resources available at home, so if you have a question please send us an email at cafhs2570@gmail.com or visit https://www.cafhs.org.au/ and we’ll see if we can help!

By Friday, 13 March, to 5pm, the number of COVID-19 cases in New South Wales reached 92. By Wednesday, 18 March, numbers have reached 267 cases.

Over the past few days, the Executive and Committee of Camden Area Family History Society have been in discussion regarding the threat to our members and volunteers.

Our committee have resolved to cancel our Society Activities and have activated these cancellations effective from today Thursday 19^th March 2020.

These cancellations have included:

• Research Centre Closure Generally
• Interest Groups
• Monthly meetings
• Heritage Fair
• Workshops and seminars
• Other external Activities

This decision has not been taken lightly and facts that have been be taken into consideration included:

• Sanitising of our Research Centre would need to be continually undertaken by our volunteers with all keyboards, mouse and screens cleaned with disinfectant wipes after a person has used a computer
• Similarly, tabletops and door handles would need to be continually sanitised
• Membership is made up generally of people in the age group that is more at risk of complications from contracting COVID-19
• As well as age, a number of members who suffer from bronchitis, asthma, other lung diseases, hypertension, ischemic heart disease or diabetes mellitus can have degraded organs that are more vulnerable to infection
• As the incubation time takes 5 to 14 days, any member or volunteer could contract COVID-19 but not show symptoms. They would then be putting their family at risk and some of us have partners who fit the criteria mentioned in the above point.

Our Society has advised our members through direct phone contact, email and facebook of the Committee’s actions and also that throughout the closure, the Society Committee will be monitoring the situation. If further events need to be cancelled, such as future monthly meetings members will be notified by email, facebook and via the website.

The NSW Health website suggests, you should:

• attempt to keep 1.5 metres between yourself and others
• avoid crowds and mass gatherings where it is difficult to keep the appropriate distance away from others (500 being the outdoor guideline on Friday 13 March, and indoors 100 on Wednesday 18 March)
• avoid small gatherings in enclosed spaces, for example family celebrations
• avoid shaking hands, hugging, or kissing other people
• avoid visiting vulnerable people, such as those in aged care facilities or hospitals, infants, or people with compromised immune systems due to illness or medical treatment.

And the World Health Organisation suggests that you wash your hands frequently

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

During this challenging time please stay safe, be kind, and look after the people around you. We are all in this together.

Don’t Forget…..Bunnings Narellan – Sausage Sizzle Sunday April 26th.

On Sunday 26th April 2020,  CAFHS will be holding another Sausage Sizzle to help raise funds for the Society.  This event is one of our major Fund Raisers for the year and we ask all those who can help to speak to Fred, Tony, Jo or Warren to advise their availability.  Along with raising a substantial portion of our funding for the year,we generally have a lot of fun doing it.