August 2026
August was a very busy month for the Chamber, spanning a hands-on workshop, a radio spotlight, a Coffee Catch Ups, the Twilight Markets, Inala’s charity lunch, The Dish of St John’s, our long-running Christmas in August dinner, and a Sunday night feeding those in need in Hornsby Park.
Events Held in August
Cake and Sip, Hornsby After Dark, in collaboration with KKreations World and The Hornsby Inn
Hornsby After Dark, in collaboration with KKreations World and The Hornsby Inn, ran a Cake and Sip workshop for the community.
The Chamber thanks Kamna for her work in running the workshop, teaching decorating techniques, swirls and toppers with every participant taking home six decorated cupcakes.
Thanks also to Dearhbla Gambling, licensee of The Hornsby Inn, for hosting the event.
Hornsby After Dark continues to run events for the community, supported by local businesses and contributing to Hornsby’s night-time economy. Several further events are planned over the coming months. Members interested in getting involved with Hornsby After Dark are welcome to contact Claire directly.
Triple H Radio and Eyes on Hornsby / Ku-ring-gai
On Monday 3 August, Claire Rampling appeared on the Eyes on Hornsby / Ku-ring-gai podcast at 7:30pm, representing and promoting the Hornsby Chamber of Commerce courtesy of Triple H Radio Station.
The Chamber thanks Triple H Radio and Eyes on Hornsby / Ku-ring-gai in particular Neil Ashworth and Martin Pluss for putting a spotlight on the Hornsby Chamber, Hornsby After Dark, the Hornsby Magazine, and the range of events the Chamber has been running.
Chamber Coffee Catch Up, CNS Precision Assembly
The August Coffee Catch Up was held at CNS Precision Assembly, a Hornsby business specialising in printed circuit board assembly and disability employment.
The Chamber thanks Brad Redwood and Andrew Logan of CNS Precision Assembly for hosting. Tucked away in a Hornsby warehouse, CNS gave members a first-hand look at their workshops and the exceptional work of their staff in producing electrical components and parts. Andrew and Brad spoke about their passion for employing people with disabilities and for finding roles suited to each team member. As with previous Coffee Catch Ups, all proceeds from ticket sales went directly to the host business.
Twilight Markets in Hornsby Mall
The Twilight Markets returned to Hornsby Mall, marking more than two years of markets in the community. Kylie Klift of Jim Jam Music brought her Fun Drummers along with light sabre drum sticks for bucket drumming, adding to another well-attended evening.
Inala Charity Lunch, Sofitel
Inala, a Rudolf Steiner-inspired disability support organisation based in Cherrybrook and a long-standing Hornsby Chamber member, hosted its Charity Lunch in partnership with CNS Precision Assembly at the Sofitel, raising funds for equipment and resources.
The event drew 500 guests and included a wine raffle, a general raffle, and a live auction. The Chamber was pleased to see so many businesses contributing to such a worthy cause.
The Dish, St John’s
The Chamber returned to serve at The Dish of St John’s, providing food and support to the community between 5:30pm and 6:30pm. The Chamber serves at The Dish on the second Wednesday of every month.
Thanks to all who served on the night:
Dearbhla Gambling, licensee of The Hornsby Inn;
Kishor Gurung, Head Chef of the Hornsby Inn Bistro;
Louise Woo, Chamber Secretary;
Hui Zhao, Belonging Early Learning;
Paul Bennett, The Village Chef,
Mark Langford, Sidewalk Social;
Suman Poudel, Ghurkhas Auto Repairs; and
Susan Dornan, a member of the Hornsby Shire community.
Every Bat Has a Story
The Chamber promoted this free creative workshop series, run by Hornsby-Ku-ring-gai Community College in support of men’s mental health. Over three sessions, participants transform an old cricket bat into a unique piece of art while connecting with other local men through conversation and creative making.
Christmas in August at Hornsby Railway Hotel
Christmas in August has become a Hornsby Chamber tradition and a firm favourite on the events calendar. Now in its fourth year, the evening was hosted by Brad Halton, licensee of the Hornsby Railway Hotel, whom the Chamber thanks for his ongoing support of the event.
Originally scheduled for July, the dinner was moved to August initially due to catering changes and has remained an August fixture since.
The evening featured a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, roast pork and all the trimmings, Christmas-themed decorations, and a Secret Santa, a great networking occasion for members.
- 📅 Date: Thursday 27 August 2026, from 6:00pm
- 📍 Venue: Hornsby Railway Hotel
Feedback from the evening was warm and plentiful. Mark Langford called it “a wonderful event to be a part of,” and Paul Bennett, attending for the first time, described it as “a hearty Christmas in August… good company, great food, long may it continue.
Community Meal, Hornsby Park — Sunday 30 August
Claire Rampling joined Mark Langford and the team from Sidewalk Social to feed those in need in Hornsby Park, with 27 people fed on the night. Many of those attending come from The Dish, who now have a place to eat on Sunday evenings as well.
Mark has organised a roster of teams to run this each week: members contribute a soup, a dessert, and Mark’s team cook sausages on the barbecue, using a ute supplied by Wally Gebrael. This week, The Village Chef kindly provided tiramisu for dessert, which was very well received.
The Chamber notes this as a strong example of local businesses and not-for-profits supporting one another, and passing on surplus to those who can use it. Mark reflected afterwards that he was “blessed with Claire’s presence” on the night, noting the community members involved are “doing it tough” and depend on both the meal and the social connection it brings. Grace Eu confirmed she had sampled the tiramisu herself beforehand and, in her words, was “not biased” in saying it was excellent.
Community Support
City2Surf — cholangiocarcinoma research. Karen completed the 2026 City2Surf to raise funds for ctDNA cholangiocarcinoma research led by her oncologist, Professor Nick Pavlakis, at the Kolling Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital.
She was joined by her long-standing physiotherapist, Darren Pivetta of Dynamic Motion Physiotherapy, and by Susie McGregor, a cancer survivor whose father died of cholangiocarcinoma. Members wishing to support the research are welcome to donate via Karen’s fundraising page, shared in the member group.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Specsavers who won first place in the Greatest Place to Work Australia. Voted by employees.
Stand Together for Nepal
Members were invited to join a community remembrance vigil at the Hornsby Fountain, in front of Hornsby Westfield, to honour those who lost their lives in the recent floods in Nepal. The gathering was organised in solidarity with the local Nepalese community, and members were encouraged to consider supporting affected families directly where possible.
Member Notices
- Hornsby Magazine — 1,000th follower giveaway. Hornsby Magazine gave a double Event Cinemas Movie pass to their 1,000th follower. Members are encouraged to follow and share.
- RU OK? Day custom cookies. Janelle Meares has limited availability for custom RU OK? Day cookies, individually wrapped and able to be branded with a business logo — a nice touch for a team, client, or workplace ahead of RU OK? Day on 10 September.
- Inala Fair – committee involvement. The Inala Fair will be held on Sunday 18 October at Inala, Cherrybrook. Claire, Sharni and Suman are on the organising committee and are seeking Chamber members to join them; involvement requires two meetings. Members interested in a stall should email events@inala.org.au.
Member Opportunities
RU OK? Day Lunch — Thursday 10 September, Hornsby RSL. Paula Duncan, in conjunction with Hornsby RSL, is running an RU OK? Day lunch fundraising in support of the North Foundation, with proceeds benefiting the Mental Health Unit at Hornsby Hospital. The Chamber will have a table at this event, and members wishing to attend are welcome to join. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, including banner and logo placement on the day and on the big screens beforehand — members interested should contact Claire, who will make the introduction to Paula Duncan.
Partnerships in the Chamber
Suman Poudel collaborated with The Hornsby Chamber and Inala in Cherrybrook and started Pink Slip with a purpose. Every time someone in the community mentions ‘Pink Slip with a purpose’ the pink slip amount is donated to Inala. To date Suman has raised $9,500 towards his goal of $10,000. The funds go towards equipment and resources which is much needed for adults with disabilities. A huge Thank you to Suman who supports the community and many charities and organisations.
Dates for the Diary
| Date | Item |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 9th September | Chamber serving at The Dish of St John’s |
| Thursday 10th September | RU OK? Day Lunch, Hornsby RSL |
| Thursday, 24th September | BAH – The Hornsby Inn from 7-9pmWith Marianne Moore and Tara Sedeghian |
| Thursday 1st October | Chamber coffee catch up Interior Aura, Waitara |
| 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month | Open Mic nights at Hornsby Railway Hotel from 7pm |
| Saturday 12th September | Twilight Markets in Hornsby Mall |
| Sunday 18th October | Inala Fair, Cherrybrook 9am-3pm |