– by Fiona Perry
Since I was a young child, my family have been heavily involved in volunteer work. The main work was raising money for the “Victor Maxwell Nursery for Blind Babies”.
We also volunteered through the local Presbyterian Church. This was pre-union and post-union. It included doing Meals on Wheels in the city of Sydney centre at the Paddington Town Hall, making mustard pickles for sandwiches for distribution to the homeless around Central Railway Station.
Since leaving school at the age of 15, I have spent a number of years studying (usually by correspondence) including Accountancy, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Pest Control (worked for Flick Pest Control for nine years), Home Economics Certificate, Bachelor of Teaching and Bachelor of Nursing.
My studies have helped me volunteer in my local Presbyterian Church on the Committee of Management and then on the Session when I was appointed as an
Elder. I have also served with the Nurses Christian Fellowship. I was treasurer for about four years before I became a Registered Nurse. I also hold monthly Bible studies at my place. In about 2008, I was elected to the Presbyterian Aged Care Committee. I find this Committee extremely interesting and with God’s help I can still continue to contribute.
After the death of my mother in 2009, I had to sell my house in Roseville as it was too big and needed a lot of work done to it. It had had no repairs done for about 20 years. I moved into my unit in the Courtlands Retirement Village in March 2011.
I have volunteered on both the Social Club and the Residents Forum as both committee members and the executive. For a few years now, I have volunteered my services down in the Vista with cardmaking and some scrapbooking. The residents who attend this activity really enjoy themselves. I have just started this activity up in the Grange.
For more information about volunteering at Courtlands Village please contact Sherene Noble on (02) 9683 8000 or snoble@chomes.com.au.
