Malcolm and I came to Gladstone from Brisbane in 1976. During our time in Gladstone, I have worked and been involved mainly in the disability sector.
For 15 years, I worked for Disability Services in Gladstone and helped set up many community services. These include:
- Mainstay a respite house for people with disability.
- The Gladstone Community Linking Agency which provides a range of services for people with a disability.
- Women’s Health
- The Hub. A community based facility to encourage events which can be enjoyed by the whole community. A Skills program for young people with a disability also operates from here.
- The Toy Library
- Parent to Parent. A support group for families with a member who has a disability.
During my working life, I have worked closely with the community and with families and people with a disability. I assisted in forming groups to work on the establishment of services and over the years have written many submissions for funding. For many years, I was a representative on The Gladstone Health Council and also a member of the Communities for Children committee.
Since ceasing paid work, I have continued to be involved in the community. Currently, I hold Board positions with Gladstone Community Linking Agency and the State body of Parent to Parent. I also volunteer at the Exodus Tutorial Centre.
My interest in disability stems from an interest in social justice and the belief that everyone is a valued member of our community