Donald Bradman collection to go on display for Newling Gardens Showcase

Newling Gardens Retirement Village is holding its 'showcase' on September 9 and 10, with Armidale Mayor Sam Coupland to open the highly anticipated event to the public.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend the showcase, which will also feature a performance from the BackTrack Dog Jumping Show.

A real highlight will be the Don Bradman memorabilia display, which features some incredible items collected over four decades by Newling Gardens residents.

Richard, a self-confessed cricket tragic, and Margaret started the collection with a few small items back in 1980 and over the years added some impressive memorabilia, including collectable Bradman paintings.

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"Richard's pride and joy is a painting done by Bill Leak in 1989. The painting is of Don Bradman in casual dress and is signed by all of the 1948 'invincible' Australian cricket team," Margaret said.

The Newling Gardens Showcase will also feature residents' work including art, painting, literature, craft, sculpture and woodwork, with some available for purchase.

Village Manager Sue Nelson said the aim of the event was to show what retirement is all about. "We want to show what people can actually do when they retire - there's a lot and you cannot fit it all in," Sue said.

"Our showcase event will be a real eye-opener to the things that our talented residents are doing in retirement.

"When we did our first showcase, before COVID, it was bigger than what we thought it was going to be.

"We had 600 people attend over the weekend and the residents who had works for sale made over $6000."

Residents Heather Winch, an artist who founded The Ferry Artists Gallery in the Hawkesbury region, and Lin Quaife, a printmaker, came up with the idea for the showcase a few years ago.

"When Lin and I started this, we both had a stack of work which we hadn't sold and also thought an exhibition would be something good for the village," Heather explained.

"When you are retired people think that you've never had another life. There are so many talented people who live here, and they produce some lovely stuff."

The showcase will be held in the Community Centre at Newling Gardens Retirement Village, 173 Taylor St, Armidale.

It begins with a gala opening on Friday, September 9 at 5.30pm, with champagne and canapes on arrival.

The showcase runs on Saturday, September 10, from 10am-5pm, with a noon sausage sizzle. Don Bradman memorabilia viewings will be held from 10am-noon and from 2pm-4pm, while the BackTrack Dog Jumping Show will take place from 11am-12pm.

All monies raised from the dog jumping show go towards BackTrack, a local organisation that supports young people having a tough time, often with the help of a team of working dogs.

A raffle will also be drawn on Saturday, with proceeds going towards the Armidale Women's Shelter.

Parking is available on Taylor St and Mann St, and disabled spaces will be available near the Community Centre.

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