Megan Dries welcomed as Evening VIEW’s August guest

Gunnedah Evening VIEW Club members welcomed Centrelink service centre manager Megan Dries as guest speaker at the August dinner meeting.

During her presentation, Megan addressed the problems for older Australians associated with moving into a digital age and explained the many pathways for support services.

She spoke about the carer’s allowance available for those caring for a family member and encouraged members to look at the website payment services finder or book an appointment at Centrelink.

“For any change in circumstances, people can book a face-to-face appointment with a financial services officer who understand the process,” she said.

“They will be able to take you through your options – the most important thing is to act early to update your circumstances.

“Clients can also appoint a nominee to act on their behalf, with strict privacy laws in place to protect the client.”

Megan also spoke about the danger of scams, which she said are often very sophisticated and look legitimate.

“It is always best to contact the Centrelink office to verify the email or text message before clicking onto any links,” she said.

After answering many questions from the floor, Megan was presented with a small gift by Anne McMahon as a token of appreciation.

The club was represented at the VIEW Zones N101 and N102 gala day at Gunnedah Rugby Club on 5 September and has received invitations to attend the Tamworth Day VIEW Club’s 58th birthday celebration on 16 September and the Peel Evening VIEW Club’s spring high tea in October.

A social breakfast gathering at Maverick has been planned for later in the month.

Members will gather to celebrate the club’s 36th birthday in October with the theme ‘Feathers and Boas in Purple and Teal’.

VIEW is a women’s friendship group gathering for monthly dinner meetings, sharing theme nights and welcoming interesting guest speakers, while raising funds for the education of disadvantaged students through the Smith Family children’s charity Learning for Life program. Women of all ages are invited to attend. Contact president Kate Knight for more information.