UnitingSA Centenary Flourish

FLOURISH ISSUE NO. 8

CENTENARY EDITION 2019

SUPPORTING SOUTH AUSTRALIANS SINCE 1919

OUR ORGANISATION THROUGH THE YEARS 1919

2003

1977

2017

Superintendent Ministers

Chief Executive Officers

1919-22

1997-2006

1923

2007-CURRENT

UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission

Port Adelaide Central Mission

UnitingSA

Rev. Fredrick Brasher

Peter Bicknell

Rev. Fred Humphery

Libby Craft

1924-35

Rev. Thomas P Willason

Board Chairs

1935-54

JAN-JUNE 2007

Rev. Arthur Donald (AD) McCutcheon

Rev. Don Catford

JULY 2007-2015

1954-55

Peter Bicknell

Rev. Frank Silwood

2015-CURRENT

1955-66

Gael Fraser

Rev. Stan Harper

1967-96

Rev. George Martin

1997-2006

Rev. Don Catford

UNITINGSA

2

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

8

16

19

Meet the incredible people celebrating their 100th birthdays in the same year as our organisation

CEO Libby Craft shares the highlights, challenges and changes during her time at UnitingSA

Proud ‘Sunday Club kid’ Katrina Power reflects on how the Port Mission changed her life

UPCOMING DATES May

June

July

20 National Volunteer Week begins

10 Queen’s Birthday

7-14 NAIDOC Week

26 National Sorry Day

16-22 Refugee Week

15 Youth Skills Day

August

September

October

4-10 Homelessness Week

1 Father’s Day

10 World Mental Health Day

12 International Youth Day

12 R U OK? Day

13-19 Anti-Poverty Week

UNITING SA ANNUAL PROFILE

16,007

986

117

2,748

6,893

PEOPLE SUPPORTED

EMPLOYEES

VOLUNTEERS

PEOPLE CARED FOR ACROSS AGED CARE

OCCASIONS OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

UNITINGSA

3

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

“ At UnitingSA, we are proud of what has been achieved by those working with us today and those who came before us.”

BOARD CHAIR GAEL FRASER, 2019

WELCOME

W

elcome to this special edition of Flourish, commemorating UnitingSA’s 100 years of service to the South Australian community.

people who have been instrumental to our journey so far. Past and present leaders share some of their fondest recollections and the biggest changes they witnessed in their time here.

Some of our longest-serving employees provide a glimpse into what motivates them in their work today.

Our Centenary is a time to reflect on the past, acknowledge the present and set a vision for our future.

You will also learn about some of the key events from our past 100 years and the celebrations planned in the year ahead, as we commemorate our Centenary.

When the Methodist Church formed the Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission on April 8, 1919, it was against a backdrop of drought, war and soaring unemployment. The Mission’s aim was to alleviate the significant distress of people living in the Port area by providing spiritual and material assistance. Through the provision of food, clothing, firewood and furniture, the Mission worked to improve lives – in the same way UnitingSA continues to support people’s health, wellbeing and inclusion.

At UnitingSA, we are proud of what has been achieved by those working with us today and those who came before us.

Through it all, we have remained true to our values – respect, compassion, courage and integrity – along with our vision for ‘a compassionate, respectful and just community in which all people participate and flourish’.

As we look to the future, we will continue to advocate for communities, deliver quality services and go where we are needed most.

Our roots in Port Adelaide remain strong but community need has led us to expand and we now operate from more than 30 locations across South Australia. Today, we deliver support to more than 16,000 people each year across aged care, housing and community services.

Together, we can.

Through the pages of this magazine, you will learn about key events in our organisation’s story and hear from

UNITINGSA

Gael Fraser UnitingSA Board Chair

4

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

CELEBRATE WITH US Our Centenary will be celebrated at our sites across South Australia throughout the year, with events planned for staff, residents, clients and communities. From morning teas to historical roadshows, aged care celebrations to cultural events, everyone who has been touched by the work of UnitingSA will be able to get involved.

HERE ARE THREE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS ON THE CALENDAR, WHICH ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY:

MAY 15

AUG 23 – SEPT 1

Historical Forum: Port Adelaide Uniting Church, 10am-4pm

SALA Art Exhibition: Black Diamond Gallery in Port Adelaide, 11am-4pm

Hear from guest speakers and get involved in discussions about the history of UnitingSA and its relationship with the Port community.

A wonderful chance to learn about our roots and community impact over 100 years. This event is being run in partnership with the Uniting Church SA Historical Society.

Beyond the Wharf Sheds will celebrate the talent that lies within UnitingSA, including that of clients, residents, families, carers, staff and volunteers.

Part of the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival, the mixed media art exhibition will feature work from emerging through to established artists.

OCT 19

For more information about Centenary events throughout the year, visit unitingsa.com.au/100 or keep updated on our Facebook page at facebook.com.au/unitingsa

Community Celebration: Port Adelaide Football Club, 11am-2pm Come one, come all to celebrate our Centenary at this vibrant community event. Enjoy a free barbecue lunch and children’s treats, bouncy castle, footy clinics, live music, stalls, historical displays, games and much more.

UNITINGSA

5

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

A LIFE ENTWINED WITH THE MISSION

J

oan Lodge (nee Faggotter) clearly recalls the day she answered her phone to hear the voice of then Port Adelaide Central Mission Superintendent George Martin down the line.

“He said, ‘We want to name our new group home for older people Faggotter Grove, after you and your family for all you have done for the Mission’,” Joan recalls.

“That was a real honour – it was a highlight of my life.”

It is not surprising the group home in West Lakes, which opened in 1987, was named after the Faggotter family.

Each member was involved in the Mission in countless ways over the years.

Joan’s mother, Maud, worked tirelessly making clothes to support local women, teaching in the Sunday School, working for fetes and raising money selling badges door to door.

Her father Hubert became the Superintendent of the Sunday School – a position both Joan and her brother Mervyn later held.

Her sister Audrey taught in the Sunday School and played the piano for major events, including anniversaries attended by hundreds of people involved in the Mission.

And Joan’s involvement was extensive – from Sunday School teaching, leadership of the Methodist Girls Comradeship, fundraising for the Mission, knitting blankets for homeless youth and leading activities to brighten aged care residents’ lives.

UNITINGSA

6

“I was just a baby when my mum first carried me into church and I’ve been connected to the Mission ever since,” Joan says.

“It was just so important to us to be part of the Mission – to feel that we were doing something good in the world.”

The Faggotter family’s relationship with the Mission has been one of mutual support.

As a young child, Joan recalls her family receiving firewood through the Mission’s early emergency relief work to ensure they had heating and were able to cook.

“We didn’t have many luxuries because mum was looking after four children after dad moved away,” she says.

“The Superintendent then was Reverend AD McCutcheon. He used to send loads

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

of wood to keep us going because we had wood fires and a wood stove.”

Joan attended the free kindergarten opened by the Mission in 1933, a service usually only available to middle-class society who could afford the fees.

She fondly recalls the period between the mid-60s and mid-80s when she and her mother held annual sweet stalls at Wesley House Aged Care, to raise money to support its residents.

They would spend days cooking coconut ice, fudge, jubes and other sweets in preparation.

Through her formative years, Joan took on leadership roles in the church’s Sunday School and Comrades group, which raised money for the Mission and supported girls’ social, devotional, educational and physical development.

“The first year we made something like $5.80 because we were very new to it but towards the end we were making hundreds,” she says.

During this time, she used her trailblazing spirit to push for outcomes for the youths she led.

“The last stall we held we managed to make $500 so we really went out on a high note.”

“I remember the young people badly wanted to have some dancing at their social but I couldn’t get the leaders of the church to agree,” she says.

“I persisted and persisted and eventually they said we could have dancing, provided we had more games than dances.”

Another time her persistence paid off was when, after much debate, she managed to get church leaders to agree to allow the Sunday School’s annual picnic to be held in the hills, rather than the usual Outer Harbor Reserve.

To be able to take a day trip to the hills was a rarity and a treat during those days.

Joan also visited Wesley House regularly with others from the church to lead activities to entertain residents, including concerts, sing-a-longs, jokes and games.

Wesley House later provided much-needed support to Joan’s mother and sister, who each spent their final days being cared for there.

This was yet another example of the mutual support which so closely entwined the Faggotter family with the Mission for all those years.

Now aged 90, Joan continues to contribute to the Mission – renamed UnitingSA in 2017 – by knitting blankets for young people supported through our Homelessness Services.

She is also a valued contributor to our Winter and Christmas appeals.

“I loved to fight for what the young people wanted.”

JOAN

“And all those activities, all the concerts and fetes we held, raised money for the Mission.”

“The Mission has always been my church,” Joan says.

“Even though it’s not a worshipping church now, it’s still doing social work, it’s still caring for people – it’s still doing all those things we used to do right from the beginning.

“Its name has changed over the years but it doesn’t matter what they call it.

“It will always be the Mission to me.”

Joan Lodge (nee Faggotter) – Key Milestones As a tiny baby, Joan began attending the Wesleyan Methodist Church at 70 Dale St, Port Adelaide – the site of UnitingSA’s headquarters today At age 4, she attended the free kindergarten opened by the Mission in 1933 Her family was among the early recipients of our emergency relief work, receiving firewood when times were tough At age 12, Joan became a Sunday School teacher – a role she held for more than 30 years She later joined the Methodist Girls Comradeship. The Comrades, as it was known, was a training ground for young women and also raised money for the Mission Joan became a leader of the Comrades – first the Port Adelaide Branch Director, then District Director, State Superintendent and finally, General Superintendent for Australia In 1969, Joan married Wally Lodge, who became a Board Member for the Mission in the early 1970s Joan went on to become the administrator for the Port Adelaide United Parish for 10 years. She retired from the position in 1982 but remains as church historian Between the mid-60s and mid-80s, Joan and her mother Maud ran sweet stalls at Wesley House to raise money for the aged care home

At the other end of the life spectrum, Joan has been an incredible supporter of older residents through the Mission over the years.

In 1987, the new group home for older people in West Lakes was named Faggotter Grove, in recognition of Joan’s family’s contribution to the Mission

Historical images (from left): 1) Joan and other children at the Mission’s free kindergarten 2) Joan and husband Wally Lodge 3) The Methodist Girls Comradeship welcomes the Queen Mother in the late 1950s

To this day, Joan continues to contribute to our community work, donating to appeals and knitting blankets for young people living in our 24-Hour House

4) Sunday School anniversary at the Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission Church in 1937

UNITINGSA

7

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY! Top left–right: Grace Pearce, Noela Mason, Verna Taylor, Arthur Daniell, Gwenda Cottle, Otto Holexa and Molly Pennington

UNITINGSA

8

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

T

hese seven individuals may have lived separate lives but they all have something very special in common.

This year they celebrate their 100th birthdays, having been born in 1919 when the Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission was founded.

Grace, Noela, Verna, Arthur, Gwenda, Otto and Molly live in UnitingSA residential aged care facilities.

Between them they have 18 children, 25 grandchildren and 35 greatgrandchildren.

To mark their 100th birthdays, we visited each of them for a chat about their life highlights and to get their tips on the secret to longevity.

Our first stop was Wesley House Aged Care in Semaphore Park where, incredibly, four residents are turning 100 this year.

Among them is Grace, who still has a glint in her eye as she talks about her days as a ballroom dancer.

particularly loves being visited by the pet therapy dogs.

Nearby is resident Gwenda, whose family has always been pivotal to her happiness.

One of Gwenda’s hobbies was tracing and documenting the family’s history.

She travelled far from her Balaclava roots over her lifetime, including an eight-month trip driving a van through the UK and the Continent with her husband Dudley.

The pair also enjoyed regularly sailing their 34-foot yacht.

Gwenda devoted many years volunteering to raise money for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and enjoyed bowls through much of her life.

Our final Centenarian at Wesley House is Arthur, who turns 100 in December.

Speaking with Arthur, it is clear his mind and memory are still sharp.

He is a self-professed crossword addict and can recall intricate details

Once in Adelaide, Otto worked with Holden for many years on both the assembly line and in administration.

He enjoyed many sports in his youth including soccer, tennis, basketball and table tennis, which he still enjoys talking about.

Otto is fluent in Polish, meaning St Teresa has been the perfect fit for him having many Polish speaking staff.

In nearby Seaton Aged Care lives Molly, who still enjoys getting involved with the on-site bingo, exercise activities and craft.

Family is very important to Molly and she enjoyed an especially close relationship with her identical twin sister Beth, who died at age 75.

Incredibly, Molly worked as a hairdresser in her own business until she was 80.

Molly still gets her hair professionally done weekly to keep her appearance in a manner to which she has become accustomed throughout her life.

RESIDENTS SHARE A REMARKABLE MILESTONE Remarkably she continued dancing – and driving a car – up to the age of 97.

“I would still be dancing now if I had a good partner,” she grins.

In her early years, Grace worked as a house cleaner and went on to work with her husband in their family factory making European food such as sauerkraut.

Her secret to a long life is this: “Just be a good girl.”

Fellow Wesley House resident Verna also kept very active in her life, working until she was 65.

of his youth, including tests he aced in primary school.

“I always thought I would write a book,” Arthur says.

“I can remember things from when I was back at school – I’m lucky.”

Arthur joined the Air Force during WWII and served in New Guinea from 1941 until the end of the war.

He says his life highlight is his family: “I’m very proud of the whole lot of them.”

Our final Centenarian is Noela, who is the sole resident at Regency Green Multicultural Aged Care turning 100 this year.

She has enjoyed an incredibly interesting life, which included nursing babies during the war and looking after a pet motel in Queensland.

Born in NSW, Noela says the highlight of her life is having a wonderful family.

And her secret to longevity?

His secret to a long life is simple: “Hard work and no junk food.”

She spent more than 30 years as a machinist making men’s clothes, including blazers, coats and trousers.

Next stop was St Teresa Aged Care in West Croydon to visit Otto, who turns 100 in November.

Her longevity can be attributed to keeping busy and having a sense of purpose, along with an active youth spent playing basketball.

Otto’s life has spanned several countries, having been born in Austria, later drafted to the German Army and finally migrating to Australia.

Verna still enjoys getting involved in a variety of activities at Wesley House including cooking, and

He has also travelled to South Africa, America and Canada.

UNITINGSA

9

“Working hard, apple cider vinegar and true love deep from the heart.”

NOELA

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

NAME: Deborah Burton

NAME: Kylie Badcock

POSITION: Executive Manager Aged Care

POSITION: Manager Information Technology (IT)

COMMENCED: 1989

COMMENCED: 1996

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

In the early days, people wanted to be in shared aged care accommodation for companionship and care as there were very few options for home care. There has been a dramatic increase in the support available for home care so that people moving into residential aged care now have much higher needs.

When I started there were only a handful of computers and no email addresses or mobile phones. Now we have an IT department, we support approximately 650 computers and 400 mobile phones.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

In early 2008, I arrived at work to find the fire brigade in Dale Street because there was a fire in the server room.

We rallied the troops, staff and various contractors.

We were able to provide full network access within 48 hours.

It couldn’t have been more of a “whole of team” effort – a great example of the true spirit of the staff here.

One of them would have to be helping staff at Seaton Aged Care transition from an Anglo-Saxon focused service to one that provides specialist support to people from Croatian and Ukrainian backgrounds. A particularly fond memory is of a choir that was made up entirely of Australians that learned Ukrainian songs. They performed at the Ukrainian Hall and received a standing ovation.

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

IT is a vital part of the backbone operations of UnitingSA and this is not going to decrease. My hope is that we get to the point that the technology use feels easy for everyone and becomes a truly effective partner in the delivery of services to our community.

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

That we continue to grow, meeting the needs of our diverse aged care clientele, and that our plans for rebuilding come about in a timely way.

DEDICATION AND PASSION UNITE OUR PEOPLE NAME: Kathy Miller

NAME: Teresa Nowak

POSITION: Coordinator Taperoo Family Centre

POSITION: Coordinator Ethnic Link Services (Whyalla)

COMMENCED: 1996

COMMENCED: 1996

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

We only had about five or six programs when I commenced and now we have about 15 courses each week. We also work with a diverse range of community partners now, both within UnitingSA as well as external partners.

In 2012 our then Mayor of Whyalla, the late Jim Pollock, officially launched Multicultural Services Whyalla, Ethnic Link Services. Before that Ethnic Link Services had only provided one-to-one support to CALD clients. The launch of Multicultural Services Whyalla and the introduction of monthly information sessions and fortnightly Eastern European and Multicultural social groups have made such a positive difference to the lives of people in the region.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

I am constantly in awe of our clients and the courage they show. A large majority of them come from extremely difficult circumstances and I love watching them grow and embrace new challenges. I have observed people commencing at the centre with low levels of literacy, confidence and social skills, progress to participating in creative activities and computer classes that they had never previously contemplated.

What has kept you working with UnitingSA for so long?

Being bicultural and multilingual myself, I have a personal and professional understanding of the barriers that face those from a CALD background. I am passionate about my work and my vision compliments that of UnitingSA – ‘A compassionate, respectful and just community in which all people participate and flourish’.

What has kept you working with UnitingSA for so long?

Running a community centre is just so interesting and fulfilling.

We have a great team of dedicated staff and volunteers and I just love their passion for the work they do. It is a genuine reflection of UnitingSA’s motto – ‘Together we can’.

UNITINGSA

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

My hope is that Ethnic Link Services continues to offer high quality and inclusive aged care services to older people from CALD backgrounds and their carers.

10

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

NAME: Phil Jones

NAME: Cherie Jolly

POSITION: Program Manager Mental Health (Metro)

POSITION: Manager Employment and Training Support

COMMENCED: 1996

COMMENCED: 1989

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

UnitingSA has played a huge role in enabling people to live independently and connect with the community whilst maintaining support around them.

Without a doubt it is the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) within the disability sector. Whilst providing better opportunities for people to be included in the community and have choice and control in how they live their lives, the NDIS has also turned the sector upside down as it adjusts to the system.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

In 1996, we received funding to move 30 people from group homes, run by SA Mental Health Services, into community housing in a suburb of their choice. One man was assisted to move back to his home suburb in the north where he was able to be closer to family, have the companionship of his dog and attend his beloved Central Districts’ footy games.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

My favourite memories are of the people I have met, those I have worked with who have created real differences in the lives of our clients, the day-to-day activity of the Employment Services team and the dedication of my teammates in ensuring we do the best job we can for the community.

What has kept you working with UnitingSA for so long?

UnitingSA is open to new ideas and opportunities, allowing staff and teams to respond to needs in a creative way.

What has kept you working with UnitingSA for so long?

There is still work to be done. I really believe that supporting people to access education, training and employment changes lives and assists people to be in charge of their own futures.

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

That UnitingSA continues to provide services and programs that connect with people in the community and never loses sight of the person receiving or in need of support.

A

t UnitingSA, we are proud to have many long-serving employees who have dedicated much of their life to supporting communities across South Australia. We have more than 50 employees who have been with us for more than 20 years and incredibly, 12 of those have worked here for more than 30 years. We caught up with some of our longest-serving staff across the organisation for this special Centenary edition. Here’s what they said:

NAME: Jodie Smith

NAME: Krystyna Melech

POSITION: Youth Worker Homelessness Services

POSITION: Cook at Seaton Aged Care

COMMENCED: 1994

COMMENCED: 1991

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

What are the biggest changes that you have seen during your time with UnitingSA?

At the start, the Youth Outreach program was a youth focused service consisting of 25 houses with four to five staff. That changed to offer homelessness assistance to all ages and we increased to 20 staff with an extra 25 houses.

I currently work in the Youth 24-hour House that offers support to up to eight young people, aged 15 to 18.

One would have to be improved kitchen documentation.

When I started we didn’t even have a food safety plan.

We have improved systems such as our ordering procedures.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

I always enjoy preparing for festivities with the wide variety of foods. I love making cakes for resident birthdays and enjoy baking morning teas.

What is your favourite or most interesting memory of your time here?

It would have to be when we had an artist come in.

The young people were given disposable cameras and asked to photograph what they considered to be home. The best of these were framed and put on display. The Lipson Street offices were open during this art display to welcome and engage the public, many of whom did not know of the homelessness program or the severity of the issue.

What has kept you working with UnitingSA for so long?

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

What is your hope for the future of your service area?

That the availability of affordable housing will increase and that there will be more time to provide intensive support.

I would like to see the kitchen modernised and for us to continue to provide cultural support, particularly recognising people’s traditions, customs and cooking them meals relevant to their background and tastes.

UNITINGSA

At Seaton Aged Care we offer specialised support for people from Croatian and Ukrainian backgrounds and I really enjoy the cultural aspect of the home. I come from a European background so I enjoy the residents having meals they are familiar with. Our foods and tastes are very similar.

11

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

A GLIMPSE INTO OUR 100-YEA IN THE BEGINNING…

1919

Port Mission established The local Methodist congregation founds the Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission to address heightened levels of poverty and social problems facing the Port.

1982

The Wesleyan Methodist Church site at 70 Dale Street, Port Adelaide (circa 1885), now home to the organisation’s headquarters.

Supporting local families

Relief in hard times

1927

1931

1977

Severe economic depression strikes, with thousands slipping into poverty.

The Mission steps in, providing emergency aid to families, housing to unemployed men and a soup kitchen for children.

The Port Family Project begins, signalling a desire to support families in ways other than material aid. The project aims to enhance the relationships and wellbeing of severely disadvantaged families through activities such as counselling, children’s outings and a bulk buying grocery scheme.

A cooking course offered through the Port Family Project.

Bread and firewood flows in and swiftly out again as the Mission provides relief in the cold winter.

Fishing fleet combats unemployment The Mission embarks on an ambitious depression response project – a fishing fleet providing work for men and food to families. A metal hulled fishing steamer, The Gertrude, goes out fortnightly, crewed by over 150 unemployed men.

A kindergarten for all

1933

The Mission opens a free kindergarten in the Port – a service usually only available to middle-class society who can afford the fees.

1969

1968

Children at the kindergarten sleeping on stretchers at nap time.

Independent living for the aged The first independent living units for older people are built at Rosewater.

The development reflects the Mission’s expanded view of need, which includes older people seeking the security and comfort of communal accommodation.

The Wesley Court independent living units.

1936

Clinic brings healing A health clinic opens in Port Adelaide, bringing healing and comfort to many thousands of people through physiotherapy, chiropody, podiatry and post-polio treatment.

1950

Some of the afflicted undergoing regular treatment at the Mission’s health clinic on Dale Street.

1937

Shelter for homeless men

Support for weary mothers

At the height of the economic recession, a two-storey home in the Port is converted into a men’s hostel, with four railway carriages later added as extra sleeping quarters. In 1941 alone, 7,760 beds and 17,800 meals are freely given.

A Health Camp is created in Mount Barker, providing respite to families from industrial areas. Two ‘health cottages’ offer restful surroundings to mothers and their children.

1941

Dinner time at the men’s hostel.

UNITINGSA

12

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

One of two health cottages in Mount Barker.

AR STORY

View the full historical timeline at unitingsa.com.au/100

Community housing

Youth housing service A partnership with the State Government leads to the development of an emergency housing program for young people living in Adelaide’s north-west.

The Youth Housing Service headquarters at the ‘Where House’, 36 Dale Street, circa 1989.

Portway Housing Association launches to address overcrowding and rising rental prices through the delivery of low-cost housing. By 1986, 13 properties in the Port and Woodville areas are tenanted to disadvantaged families and individuals.

1984

Human Services Minister Dean Brown launches Portway’s Lamont Street housing development in Croydon Park, circa 1998.

Cultural ageing support The Ethnic Link program commences, providing a state-wide linkage and advocacy service for older people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

1989

Program for Aboriginal youth A Sunday Club program launches to support Aboriginal children from the Port. Attracting over 100 youths, it is among the first projects of its type in Australia and offers camps, sports, music, craft and leadership activities.

Ms Margaretha Hanen OAM with staff of the newly established Ethnic Link.

Disability employment services

1995

The Port Business Partnerships program starts, providing supported work opportunities in areas such as industrial sewing, gardening and cleaning. Soon after, the Port Supported Employment project commences, offering open employment and training opportunities.

Making Sesame Street posters at Sunday Club.

Port Business Partnerships supervisor Ally with a supported employee.

1996

2006

First aged care home A bluestone villa in Semaphore Park is purchased to accommodate 60 older people of limited means.

Named Wesley House, it is the first charitable facility of its kind in the area.

Mental health housing support The Mission launches the Supported Housing Access Program to assist people with mental health related disabilities to live independently in the community. Offered in metropolitan Adelaide, the program supports a broader shift away from institutional care.

Asylum seeker program UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide (UCWPA) plays a lead role in supporting the complex needs of asylum seekers exiting Baxter Immigration Detention Centre, from accessing housing, legal and medical services to developing daily living skills.

Intensive employment program

2014

UCWPA is selected to deliver the State Government’s new Building Family Opportunities (BFO) program in Playford. BFO offers support to long-term unemployed families, linking them with study and work pathways.

The first residents of Wesley House on Military Road.

Health Minister Jack Snelling at the BFO launch.

100 YEARS ON…

West Lakes aged care development

2019

Works commence on a $50 million aged care development at Football Park.

UnitingSA’s biggest capital project to date, the five-storey development features residential aged care, premium retirement living, allied health services and commercial outlets.

UnitingSA’s Mark Hayward (left), CEO Libby Craft and Commercial and General’s Chris Menz in front of the football stadium.

UNITINGSA

13

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

Rev. Don Catford was appointed Deputy Superintendent of the Port Adelaide Central Mission (PACM) in 1994 and went on to become Superintendent between 1997 and 2006. Alongside him was Peter Bicknell, who served as Chief Executive Officer from 1997 to 2006 and Board Chair from 2007 to 2015. As part of our Centenary edition, Don and Peter each reflect on their time here.

IN THEIR WORDS… However, the role of Superintendent in Missions had changed elsewhere in Australia and changed at PACM at the beginning of 1997 with my appointment and that of Peter Bicknell as CEO. The two of us were destined to work closely together for the next 10 years in leading a growing community and aged-care agency of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Rev. Don Catford

I

became the eighth and final Mission Superintendent on 1st January 1997. As a Minister of Religion, I came to the organisation with 29 years’ ministerial experience with a vast range of people in country SA, the Pilbara Region of WA at Tom Price, metropolitan Adelaide, and as the Secretary of the SA Synod.

At the end of 1996, the Board membership changed considerably.

Four long-term members with some 152 years Mission Board experience retired – Rev George Martin, John A McCutcheon, Henry (Harry) M Kelly and Dr John B Murchland. However, those who continued and newly appointed members were also very experienced and provided excellent corporate management.

It was standard practise during that time for senior members of staff to attend Board Meetings and bring their expertise to the table.

I remember well that during the first three months of 1997, Peter Bicknell and I held small group meetings with almost all the staff of the organisation seeking their ideas on future directions.

This proved to be a very valuable process assisting both Management and the Board’s Strategic Plan.

My role was to carry out the decisions of the Mission and Wesley Centre Boards, uphold the corporate culture, encourage and support management and staff, be responsible for fundraising, superannuation, OH&S, organise the 75th Anniversary celebrations, and Chair the Mission Board, Executive, Finance Committee, Wesley Centre Inc. and Portway Housing Association.

UNITINGSA

14

I also continued to Chair a number of groups associated with the Mission.

These included the local Aboriginal Committee (Kura Yerlo Burka Meyunna), the Polish Advisory Committee, the Ukrainian and Croatian Advisory Committee, the Russian Advisory Committee and later, the Regency Green Advisory Committees.

Throughout my sojourn with PACM and later UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide, one other important role was to uphold and encourage relationships with the Uniting Church Synod and its various agencies (schools, hospitals, welfare and aged care organisations), committees, fellowships, congregations, and presbyteries. Much time was spent visiting these bodies and “building community”.

During 1998, the Board gave permission for me to stand for election as Moderator of the Uniting Church in SA. I was elected and served half time in that position for two years from October 1999 to October 2001, while continuing to serve as Superintendent.

My appointment came to an end on 31 December 2006 but I continued to Chair the Board until 30th June 2007 to assist the new CEO, Libby Craft, to settle in.

I have worked in many different settings throughout my life but have never worked in a better culture than that which was lived by the personnel of this organisation. They were always focused on the welfare of the client/ resident and dedicated to their work.

Their sense of humour, warmth, openness, commitment and integrity live with me day by day.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

from a very wide range of ethnic communities. The development of Ethnic Link Services was, and still is, unique in Australia, often facilitating services in some 40 different languages.

Similarly, ethno-specific residential aged care has also enabled strong community connected aged care for a wide range of elderly residents requiring residential care.

Personally, I have particularly enjoyed our partnership with the local Aboriginal community. Beginning in 1968, this has evolved over the years responding to changing circumstances to include care for the elderly, family and children’s programs and partnership in community development.

Advocacy

commitment to respond to contemporary challenges and expectations, which has been demonstrated across the years.

Along with the provision of high quality services there are three ongoing characteristics of our organisation: innovation, partnerships and advocacy.

Innovation

Peter Bicknell

M

y first involvement with the Port Mission was to round up a group of young volunteers to demolish old railway carriages, which had provided shelter and support for homeless men during the depression and after World War II. My last involvement was as Portway Housing Chair where we had just approved the redevelopment of a block of three-bedroom units, which now provide permanent, quality accommodation for people on low incomes. Perhaps this is symbolic of both the continuity of care and our

Looking back, I see an organisation that has responded to societal challenges in innovative and responsive ways.

This was demonstrated most clearly in the development of the physiotherapy clinic in response to the polio epidemic of the 1950s. When the conventional wisdom was to restrict movement, typically in callipers, Mabel McCutcheon and her team of nurses offered physiotherapy to the long-term benefit of many polio victims.

At a time when most people with serious and enduring mental illness were in institutions or group homes, we developed an innovative Accommodation Access program.

It began with some 100 consumers and successfully demonstrated that, with permanent housing, appropriate support and determination, people can maintain successful tenancies and contribute to their community.

Partnerships The partnership developed between Port Adelaide Central Mission, especially the Rev George Martin, and a wide range of ethnic communities has resulted in long-term services that continue to respond to elderly citizens

UNITINGSA

15

Based on the experiences of our clients and staff, the Mission has taken responsibility to develop and propose policies and programs and to advocate on their behalf. Rev Martin’s national leadership in aged care and as a Commissioner within the Henderson Poverty Inquiry, my role as a Commissioner within the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Commission and Libby Craft’s involvement with SACOSS and UnitingCare Australia are examples of our advocacy for change to the benefit of those with whom we are involved.

Changes Without doubt, the most significant change I have seen during the last 40 years has been the rise of compliance in every facet of our work.

Whilst the financial cost of compliance is enormous, the biggest penalty is that staff and management are forced to become risk averse whereas the best outcomes for our clients arise within a positive, values-driven culture backed up with consumer partnerships, peer support and professional supervision.

On a personal level my involvement with UnitingSA has given me so many opportunities both nationally and at a local level. Across Australia, I have been involved with great leaders within UnitingCare and similar agencies, whilst my most significant nourishment has come from the UnitingSA staff who continue to inspire me with their dedication to others including their fellow staff. Sometimes, being a CEO can be lonely but I found the best remedy for this has always been to catch up with staff and volunteers and be enriched by their commitment to each other and those for whom they care.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

I

n the late 1990s, one of the highlights for the Mission was when we won a major tender for Mental Health Services.

We became the first organisation in South Australia to provide community support for people exiting hospital with a mental health issue. It was a new initiative for government and together we further developed an understanding of what community support meant.

We had previously provided mental health support through our other services, such as emergency relief and housing, but this was the first time we offered it as a major service area.

During this time we were approved to become a large housing provider.

This allowed Portway Housing Association to grow from 30 homes to the 373 properties we have today. This continues to be an important area of growth, as affordable, safe accommodation is critical to our role supporting our community.

IN HER WORDS… Libby Craft has worked across our organisation through its journey from the Port Adelaide Central Mission to UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide and UnitingSA. Our Chief Executive Officer shares with us some of the highlights, changes and challenges she has experienced over the years.

I

t has been more than 20 years since I started working at the Port Adelaide Central Mission and I can say with all honesty that I feel privileged to have been part of this organisation and the positive difference it has made in our community in so many ways.

When I began in 1986, I was the coordinator of the Youth Accommodation Program, supporting young people who were experiencing homelessness.

We had five properties at the time and they each had an adult living with a group of young people. My role was to support the young people with training in independent living skills, counselling and referrals, and linking them to more permanent independent accommodation. It was such a rewarding role, working towards positive outcomes for young people and was the beginning of a very fulfilling career with the organisation.

In the early 1990s I gained a range of work experiences, including with a membership network and in State and Commonwealth governments. I returned in 1996 to take on the role of Senior Project Officer. One of the projects I led was looking at how we could improve the Mission. I consulted with staff, held focus groups and created an improvement plan. Some of the things were very practical around updating buildings, phones and computer systems. Other parts focussed on having a vision and seeing if we could work better together across the organisation. We also identified staff were really keen to upskill and learn, and a range of training was put in place. This early relationship building with staff and volunteers across the organisation was fundamental to my future positions as I continued to take on different roles within the Mission.

UNITINGSA

16

T

he year 2000 saw another change in my position – this time to the role of Senior Manager for Organisational Development.

I liken it to being a bit of a ‘no more gaps’ person, so anything that needed to be done I found a way to do it. One of the big developments at that time was the rebuild of Westminster Village Aged Care in Grange. I worked with a committee of residents, staff and senior management to coordinate a move of the residents to Regency Green Aged Care. Initially the residents were cautious about the move but then they grew to love Regency Green because of the environment there – all the gardens and trees. We built Westminster and it was modern with wonderful facilities but by then the residents were so settled in their new home they were hesitant to move back. We really had to work alongside the residents to make sure they were comfortable and supported through all the changes.

I

n 2007 I was appointed CEO and the Board at the time, the Chair and former CEO supported me into the role.

It is really difficult to single out highlights since I began as CEO as there are just so many, but one of them would have to be the redevelopment of Wesley House Aged Care. It is such a high quality aged care facility and it’s sustainable, both environmentally and financially, so it was a really great outcome.

There has been a lot of service expansion during this time, particularly in the multicultural space where we now have a big footprint. Ethnic Link Services has expanded, Regency Green Aged Care is

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

multicultural, and some of our home care packages are for particular cultural groups. Our supported Employment Service has also expanded with Wesley Social Enterprises now having more than 100 supported employees.

There are many people in the community who could benefit from supported employment as it can give a sense of pride and self-worth. Given this, I envisage this is an area we will continue to grow in the future.

A

s well as responding to community need, one of the fantastic things about our work is that many of our programs and services are innovative.

This can be seen in our Mental Health Services, particularly in their employment of people with a lived experience of mental illness. In other innovations, we are the only provider in Australia of an urban stream of the Employment and Education Housing (EEH) program, which has been transformative for Aboriginal people moving from remote communities.

The program supports people to relocate, settle children into school, connect adults with further education and employment, and navigate tenancy issues such as maintenance, rent arrears and tribunals.

Another initiative that really stands out to me in terms of innovation is the Anangu Women’s Leadership project.

Through that project we worked alongside Aboriginal people, particular those living in the Parks. They would come into the Port and we would run focus groups, training, listen to stories and share meals. To support the project we made a DVD that showed very practical skills you need if you are visiting or moving to Adelaide.

For example, catching a train, queuing at the supermarket, putting out bins on the right day, as well as information about when to call the police, what health services are available and who to go to for assistance. We sent the DVD to the APY lands so people could see it before they came down. This made a real difference for people as it helped them prepare.

“We have employees and volunteers who go above and beyond and they do it with a lot of respect and compassion.”

LIBBY

There’s one example in history that I think best sums up our staff’s approach.

In the late ‘90s we received funding to support people living in Supported Residential Facilities (SRFs) in the west.

A lot of the residents needed to get their eyes tested but they didn’t want to leave the facility. Some of them hadn’t left in 20 years. Our staff started thinking about how we could bring the service into the facility so the residents were not frightened or distressed. They knew that the residents loved karaoke, so they put on a karaoke afternoon but they had worked with the local optometrist and he was prepared to come in and test people’s eyes. People came in, they got their ticket, had their eyes tested and then enjoyed the karaoke afternoon.

A fortnight later they all got their new glasses so they could see. To me it was really thinking outside the square and our staff do that all the time.

We wouldn’t be the organisation we are without their commitment.

L

ooking ahead, it’s important we have a vision but also that we remain agile.

Because we respond to address community need, our organisation needs flexibility to shape our services as new needs arise.

In saying that, there are some priority areas we can foresee. I think the NDIS, the way it intersects with mental health and other programs and the way we respectfully provide a service to people in this new environment will be among our priorities moving forward. Affordable housing continues to be a significant issue and we will keep tackling this and developing new models to provide a continuum from homelessness through to home ownership. We have an exciting aged care project on the horizon at West Lakes, which will be the most significant capital project we have ever undertaken.

All of this we will achieve while putting the people we support front and centre. We will work alongside our community, we will work collaboratively, and whatever we do we will do in a compassionate and respectful way with dignity and courage.

I

have been asked what has kept me working here for so long and that’s easy.

If I’m ever getting caught up in papers and policy and bureaucracy, I just pop into the Family Centre where we provide emergency relief and think, ‘That’s right, we make a big difference’.

Or I go to a service and talk to the staff and they are so proud of the work they do. I am reminded that I do my role so we get the best service for the people we are here to serve.

That’s what keeps me here. That’s the glue that keeps us all together – it’s the difference we make in people’s lives.

In aged care, our work to accommodate people’s pets has also been innovative.

That was a barrier for some older people to come into aged care and now we can provide a home for them with their pets and that makes an enormous difference to them.

U

ndoubtedly one of the best parts of our organisation would have to be the people who work here.

UNITINGSA

17

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

and surgical procedures have become life giving. One of the unfortunate consequences of that is we are not always able to add meaning to the life which those extra years give. This means we make the dying process last longer for some people.

Q: Is there any commonality between the people you support during their final hours?

A: There are some people who will resist what is happening to the very end. There are others for whom they just slip quietly away. I do find that often, people tend to die the way they live.

DYING WITH INTEGRITY: LES UNDERWOOD UnitingSA Minister Les Underwood has spent more than 50 years supporting people who are dying, predominantly in aged and palliative care. We spoke with him about his experiences, the biggest changes in the dying process since the Mission’s early years and what inspires him to sit beside people in their final hours.

Q: How do you support a person who is coming to the end of their life?

A: My role as a caring pastor with dying people is to accompany them on the journey and help them with the questions that arise in their mind. It’s helping people to die as well and meaningfully as they are able. I like to talk about dying with integrity rather than dying with dignity. Often when people talk about dying with dignity they mean dying nicely, which doesn’t upset too many people. Dying with integrity means you died the person who you are.

Q: How has your role changed over the years?

A: When I was a young Minister, the church’s response to people dying was to take every opportunity to encourage them to give their life to Jesus. The Minister’s job was to ensure people died well and went to heaven. That meant for some people they were asked at the end of their life to make a commitment that was not part of their life previously. As I look back, it was more to do with the church and the Minister than the person dying.

Q: What are some of the other big changes you have witnessed around the dying process?

A: It used to be dying was something people did at home and the family would gather around. Then we medicalised dying and

almost insisted that if it looks like you are going to die, you are put in an ambulance so you can die in hospital. But we are now moving back to the possibility of dying at home again and being supported through palliative care for people who have terminal conditions. The skill is in finding what level of care is appropriate and what location is best for someone to live out their last days.

Q: Do you think the move towards dying in the home is a positive thing?

A: Yes, but we still have a bit of a way to go. When you go into hospital or an aged care facility, you are essentially put into a situation where you are cared for by people who are well meaning but it’s their profession. When you are at home, your surroundings are more familiar, the voices and sounds are more familiar.

There’s also the likelihood that the person you have slept with for most of your life could be a presence alongside you. When you are dying, sometimes the comfort of the presence of another person with you can be very calming.

Q: People are also living longer these days. What are your views around this?

A: One of the things we have become very good at is we can intervene in so many ways to give a person an extended opportunity to live that was not available 100 years ago – antibiotics, anaesthetic

UNITINGSA

18

Q: What have you noticed about the timing of people’s death when they are in palliative care?

A: I have been with people who have been dying and the family has been asked to come.

Sometimes someone has had to come from a distance and they got there as quickly as they could and just after they have arrived, their loved one has passed away. They say to me, ‘If I had missed the plane, my mother would have died before I got here,’ and I say, ‘If you had missed the plane and caught the next one, she would have died just after you got here.’

At other times, people will be almost in a roster sitting around the bed of a dying person and the person who is there goes to the toilet for a minute and when they come back the person has died. They say, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the toilet’ but the person has wanted to be alone to die. There is no exact right way to do this except the right way for you is your way and the right way for me is my way.

Q: For the loved ones of someone who is dying, do you have advice to help them through?

A: I think one of the last things to go with people is some sense of awareness of whether someone is present or not. They might not be able to talk any more and might have their eyes closed but they seem to know if someone is in the room or not. You don’t have to have the right words because sometimes there are no right words. Sometimes to hold someone’s hand is much more powerful than saying anything.

Q: What inspired you to spend so much of your life supporting people who are dying?

A: It’s important to me. Death is often denied by society – we are too busy living to be interested much in who is dying. I remember once going to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and I was up on the top floor. I walked over to the window and looked down and the cars were racing up and down. I had just been sitting with a man who was about to die. I thought, this is a metaphor.

Here’s a man for whom life and death are the big issues and the world is busily going past saying, ‘We are unaware of the drama that is going on in there.’ So I’ve sought to try to stand aside to spend a bit of time with the people in the big drama that goes on. There is a real sense of privilege to be there with people when they breathe their last breath.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

camps, sports, music, craft and leadership activities.

Katrina says the club added a sense of belonging to her youth, and influenced her later life in many ways.

A visit to the airport with the club as a child, where the children were allowed to climb aboard a plane, planted the seed for Katrina’s love of travel.

Her early years painting each Sunday helped her develop a passion for art throughout her lifetime.

She went on to make history when she became The Advertiser’s first Aboriginal journalist between 1988 and 1992.

And, most importantly, Katrina says the Sunday Club gave her the confidence to put her stamp on the world and stand up for the rights of all people, regardless of background.

REFLECTIONS FROM A PROUD SUNDAY CLUB KID

K

“We know that children only start puppeting racism at about age 8 – that is the greatest tragedy of humanity.”

KATRINA

“We are born human beings but we are taught to be intolerant.

“The Sunday Club helped to break that down.

atrina Power recalls looking forward to Sunday every week as a youngster.

She awaited the moment she would cram into the car with other children to be driven to the Sunday Club at the Port Adelaide Central Mission.

There she would enjoy painting, singing, cooking and craft.

But it meant so much more to her than simply being a fun-filled outing.

“What I remember most distinctly is feeling safe around white people,” Katrina says.

“We were going into a white world and that early contact for Aboriginal children is so critical.

“We were fed, we hung out together, we were safe, we were warm, we felt loved.

“The Sunday Club was a sacred safe place for Aboriginal children and white people made it safe for us to enter.”

The Sunday Club began in 1969 and quickly grew to support more than 100 Aboriginal children living in the area.

“It opened my world.”

Katrina’s personal connection with the Sunday Club made her the ideal choice to deliver the Welcome to Country at UnitingSA’s Centenary launch event at Port Adelaide Uniting Church on April 8.

It is a role she says she is honoured to have been chosen for.

“The moment I was asked, it took my mind back and I felt like that little girl hanging on the monkey bars on Sundays again,” she says.

“I am what you call a ‘proud Sunday Club kid’.

“It is something that all South Australians should be proud of, black and white.

“The world needs a new kind of Sunday Club.”

It was among the first programs of its type in Australia and included

UNITINGSA

19

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

A CENTURY OF SERVICE, SUPPORT AND SMILES

W

hen the Port Adelaide Methodist Church established a group for women who were unable to attend Sunday services, they could never predict that 100 years later it would still be going strong.

Such is the story of Bright Hour, which started in Port Adelaide in 1918 and continues to support people living in the western suburbs to this day.

In its infancy, Bright Hour was held every second Wednesday and meetings were loosely structured like a service of worship, but included songs, competitions and addresses rather than sermons.

It was attended by local women who, through distress or poverty, were unable to attend ordinary religious services.

Bright Hour’s popularity grew over the years until, at its peak in 1937, there were 500 women and children regularly attending meetings.

Over time, the group has moved locations and its audience has changed, but its role bringing together people and boosting morale has never faltered.

Annette Aird is the current coordinator of Bright Hour, which true to its roots is still held on Wednesdays – but has reduced to monthly meetings.

Nowadays, about 30 older people from the western suburbs attend the gatherings at West Lakes United Church to enjoy lunch, raffles, a browse in the op-shop and musical entertainment.

“We wanted to keep it at lunchtime, like it was historically.

“We have an op-shop, which links to the past because they used to have trading tables and encouraged women to buy clothes from them or make their own.

“The other thing that has remained consistent is the entertainment – music is a big part of Bright Hour and always has been.”

Residents come from UnitingSA’s independent living units, Wesley House Aged Care, Westminster Village and Faggotter Grove Neighbourhood Group Home, as well as the broader local community.

Throughout history, there have been many loyal Bright Hour attendees; among them is Gwen Williams who first attended with her mother when she was just a child.

“We have tried in many ways to keep the program similar to what it was when it was first set up.”

“Gwen has very much been a stalwart of Bright Hour for many, many years,” Annette says.

ANNETTE

UNITINGSA

20

Gwen continued at Bright Hour as a volunteer right up until her 88th birthday in December 2018.

“She is among the many dedicated people, both behind the scenes and in leadership roles, who have enabled Bright Hour to be the wonderful group it has for so many years.”

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

Westminster Village Aged Care activities officer Sharyn Rogers says it is no surprise Bright Hour has had such a loyal following.

She brings residents to the meetings each month and says it is a highlight on their calendar.

“They get out, they get to see the beautiful scenery on the way,” Sharyn says.

“If there’s singing, they are happy.

“We have about four ladies today from the memory support unit and they all sit there and remember every word.

“Music is something they never forget.”

Sharyn’s predecessor Lee-anne Corbett spent 15 years taking residents to the monthly meetings and after retiring from her position at Westminster Village last year, took up a role volunteering with Bright Hour.

“It’s good to give back,” Lee-anne says.

“I’ve been coming for years and years and it’s such a great way to get the residents out.

“They just love it – it’s something they look forward to each month.”

LEE-ANNE

Bright Hour would love to have more people join their monthly gatherings to shore up the group’s future into the next 100 years. To find out more or to get involved, call Annette Aird on 8353 3384.

Bright Hour through the years

Lasting legacy: Above, Bright Hour in 2019 and pictured opposite, Bright Hour at its peak circa 1930s.

1935: Women begin using donated

1983: Two men start attending

1937: Bright Hour attendances reach

2000: Bright Hour moves to West

materials to make clothes for their own families and to sell on the trading table

an all-time high, with 500 women and children attending regularly

1918: Port Adelaide Methodist Church creates a group to support women unable to attend Sunday services, to be known as Bright Hour

1940s: Bright Hour begins being

1919: At the Christmas meeting, 230 mothers and children attend.

A trading table is started to sell secondhand clothes at low prices

1960s: Around 60 women attend

broadcast on radio to spread cheery messages and singing during difficult times with many men away serving in war

regularly, enjoying guest speakers and musical entertainment

Bright Hour meetings, ending a 65-year tradition of a women’s only group

Lakes United Church where it remains to this day. It focuses on providing monthly outings for older people, centred on lunch and musical entertainment

2018: Bright Hour celebrates its 100th anniversary. Following concerns it may fold due to dwindling volunteer numbers, new volunteers step forward and shore up its future

1976: Bright Hour moves to the new Mission building on Dale St, Port Adelaide

UNITINGSA

21

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

CENTENARY ART PROJECT TAKES SHAPE

D

ozens of partly completed oil paintings lie across the studio of artist Robert Habel, who has taken on the epic project of painting 100 works to commemorate UnitingSA’s Centenary.

From churches to railway scenes, landscapes to building sites, Robert hopes the project captures the essence of our organisation’s 100-year story.

Robert, a Mental Health Services coordinator at UnitingSA, is part way through 40 of the artworks, with a dozen of them almost finished.

“It’s a bit like composing a symphony,” Robert explains of the process.

“You have light and dark and shade.

“Each one needs to work as its own motif but also as a larger piece.”

In terms of the varied subjects, Robert so far has ideas locked in for 90 of the works but is remaining flexible on the final 10 to ensure he has the ability to follow new ideas that arise.

“In the end what hopefully will happen is there will be a good amount of them that are fairly recognisable and are connected to our organisation through the location of where we might provide services,” he says.

“Others will be more curious.”

Among the more “curious” will be a unicorn, which Robert plans to create in collaboration with a three-year-old.

“The unicorn represents dreaming, so it’s one of the images that looks to our organisation’s future.”

Robert is completing part of the artworks on-site at locations across South Australia.

So far he has worked from several sites across metropolitan Adelaide, as well as the Murray Mouth and Whyalla.

He is planning future trips to other regions where UnitingSA offers services, including the Riverland and South-East.

“It could go on forever really as there are just so many connections you can draw on,” he says.

“Once you have done 100 there’s another 100 images you could do.

“I quite like the idea of the absurdity of the never-ending work.”

Follow the journey of Robert Habel’s Centenary artwork project throughout the year at facebook.com/unitingsa

ROBERT

UNITINGSA

22

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | CENTENARY EDITION | 2019

To everyone who has been part of our 100-year story, thank you. It has been an incredible journey. We look forward to continuing to work with communities across South Australia to realise our vision for a ‘compassionate, respectful and just community in which all people participate and flourish’.

TOGETHER, WE CAN.

70 Dale Street • PO Box 3032, Port Adelaide, SA 5015 P. (08) 8440 2200 E. unitingsa@unitingsa.com.au W. unitingsa.com.au @unitingsa @unitingsa Photography Catherine Leo at cathleo.com.au Editorial enquiries or feedback: (08) 8200 9213 © Copyright 2019 UnitingSA