The Home and Community Care social group, Elaine’s Wanderers, has turned its hand to technology this year, and members are pleased with their efforts.

With the help of ABC Open, the group’s talent has been showcased to a wide audience. The eight Wanderers have been together since 2006, meeting weekly for art and craft activities and social exercise.

This year members decided to work on projects through ABC Open, an online site which encourages people in regional communities to produce and publish their photos, stories, videos, and sound.

Photography was the first focus for the group, undertaking a project called Now and Then, where they recreated old photos.

The elders were then able to reminisce with a storywriting project, before moving on to their latest task, producing a video postcard of Tamworth Marsupial Park using their experiences in the area and their interactions with the animals.

“It gets the members out and they’re learning new skills with it,” group leader Elaine Bartholomew said.

Shirley Davison has been part of the Wanderers group since it started.

She’s lived in Walcha all her life and is heavily involved in the Walcha community.

Last year Mrs Davison was made a member of the Order of Australia for her volunteer work with the St Vincent de Paul Society and Meals on Wheels.

“I love to learn how to do new things,” Mrs Davison said.

“I’d never been a photographer. I’ve never had time to do these things.”