NEWS DESK
Chelsea SES celebrate big birthday Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au CHELSEA SES unit have passed a significant milestone, as they celebrated their 65th birthday with an event on 9 November. SES volunteer Phil Wall said the event went well and was a great celebration of 65 years of hard work. “It was a lovely day. It all went really well,” he said. “I’ve been asked what Chelsea SES is, and I’ve been there for 15 years and we have couple of members who have been there 25. Over my years and the 40 years I’ve lived in Chelsea, the area has changed so much in that time. “There is brand new areas here, there was no Aspendale Gardens, Patterson Lakes was just starting, they’ve all changed now. “The demographic of the area has changed too, the type of housing has changed, we’re seeing so many more subdivided areas now. “As far as the SES units go, our equipment is so different now, it’s cutting edge technology. We have new vehicles and all of that stuff to help us with anything people need us for. That all changes and there’s a constant changing force. The one thing that has never changed though, the one constant, is the people. “Chelsea SES is the people, the ordinary people who that walk through those gates, put on the orange outfit, and help people when they need it.” Chelsea SES lays claim to being the longest ongoing unit in Victoria
Happy birthday: Chelsea SES unit were joined by Kingston mayor Cr Steve Staikos in celebrating their birthday Picture: Gary Sissons
now they have passed the 65 year milestone. The unit began in 1953 as the Civil Defence Unit, before taking the name of Chelsea SES in 1975. The unit has 50 volunteer members active, with one being the 2018 Premier’s Volunteer Champion award winner Ron Fitch. Mr Fitch has also been recognised by Kingston Council as their Out-
standing Citizen of the Year, and been awarded life member status by VICSES. The unit had volunteers attend the scene of numerous major events in the state’s history, such as the West Gate bridge collapse and the Black Saturday bushfires. Mr Wall said attending the 2009 bushfires was his most significant memory with the unit.
“The one that sticks in my mind more than anything is Black Saturday, because we were one of the first units in there, we were there 7 o’clock in Whittlesea on the Sunday morning. We did 17 hours straight there.” Chelsea SES continue to remain active, and respond to around 300 calls for assistance each year.
School funding claims by federal opposition ISAACS MP Mark Dreyfus has boasted that local schools will be millions of dollars better off if Labor win government at the federal election. Mr Dreyfus claimed that “local public schools will be $15.96 million better off under a federal Labor Government”. The Labor website fairgoforschools.com.au says that Chelsea Heights Primary School will receive $480,000 in extra funding over three years. The website also says Parkdale Secondary College will be “$2.14 million better off” over three years, while Cheltenham Secondary College will receive $1.18 million over three years. “Labor will provide an extra $14 billion for public schools across the country to deliver the biggest school investment in Australian history. This means more one on one attention for local students and will give schools the resources they need to provide tailored education to local students,” Mr Dreyfus said. “Australian schools should be the best in the world, and every Australian child deserves the best start in life, yet over the last five years all the Liberals have done is attack public schools and slash their funding. “At the next election there will be a clear choice for voters. Labor’s commitment to invest in public schools, or the Liberals’ cuts.”
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
14 November 2018
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