If the COVID pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that we cannot thrive in isolation. Our wellbeing relies heavily upon the power of community and connection. On the eve of my retirement from my role as Director of Revesby Workers’ Club, I feel immense gratitude for the positive impact that the Club has had on my life and my community.

I first started visiting the Revesby Workers’ Club with a group of mates in 1967. We were soon swept up in the fun and friendly atmosphere and that sense of connection that we were craving as young people learning about the world. We became members as soon as we could (age 21 back in those days) and set about enjoying all the Club had to offer.

The sporting clubs were very popular, and I soon joined the golf club and the A-reserve cricket team, enjoying success as Minor Premiers and Premiers. Joining these clubs was as much about the friendships and celebrations as it was about the sport. I’ve also represented Revesby Workers’ Club at snooker, darts, lawn bowls and basketball creating some treasured memories.

After meeting a lovely young lady named Lesley on the East Hills train line to work one morning, we enjoyed our first date at the Revesby Workers’ Club in 1969. We had dinner in the club dining room and watched a show in the auditorium. This is still our favourite thing to do on a Saturday night as lucky for me she agreed to marry me, and we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year.

In 1980 when our daughters were aged 4 and 6 years, we moved to a quiet street in Milperra near the golf course. When developers tried to have the golf course rezoned to permit residential housing on this land, I started a successful small residents’ action group opposing this proposal. Little did I know that this would set me on a path of community service and representation that would last for decades. I was soon endorsed as the ALP candidate in the 1987 Bankstown Council West Ward election, and I went on to be a Councillor for 29 continuous years until I retired in 2016 when Bankstown City Council was amalgamated with Canterbury Council.

I had the incredible honour of being the Mayor of Bankstown for five terms which was a great experience and created
memories which I will cherish forever. Most notable was Bankstown’s involvement in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the partnership we forged with the USA Olympic team as well as countless local projects designed to make Bankstown a great place to live and work.

Throughout this time, I enjoyed a great relationship with Revesby Workers’ Club, feeling very supported in my Council role and in 2006 I was approached to put myself forward for election to the Revesby Workers’ Club Board of Directors. I have been serving as a director ever since and it’s been an incredible privilege to be part of the evolution of the Club into a real community hub encompassing expanded entertainment and dining options, healthcare, fitness facilities, childcare and more.

The time has now come for me to retire from the Board of Directors to spend more time with my two daughters, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, most of whom live in Wollongong and Berry. I leave the Club in very good
hands, with a robust Board and an incredible team of staff. A heartfelt thanks to all the Directors and staff I have worked with over the years. I would like to also specifically thank the people connected to the sub-clubs I have worked with – you represent the true spirit of the Club and its connection to our community. It’s a strange feeling to be retiring from official duties after serving the community for 35 years. You’ll still see me regularly though, especially at the Club enjoying a meal and a show or at Health Mates. The enjoyment and pride that I feel being part of the Club now is no different to what it was when I was a bright-eyed 21-year-old. From the Club’s humble beginnings as a small place to meet for a drink to the thriving hub with some 70,000 members it is today, the essence has stayed the same. We all need that connection and community just as much now in 2022 as we did back in 1962.

Dear Members,

When the hot cross buns and Easter eggs disappeared from the shopping centre shelves, so too did the warmer days as we are now greeted with a much chillier start to the mornings.  We hope our members enjoyed a wonderful Easter long weekend and are preparing for another cold Winter ahead.

CONGRATULATIONS AND FAREWELL KYLIE WILKINSON

As many of you would be aware, at the recent 2023 NSW State Election, Kylie Wilkinson, the then Labor Candidate for the seat of East Hills was elected into Parliament, thus now making Kylie Wilkinson our Local Member of Parliament for East Hills.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kylie for her well-deserved success.  Kylie and her team led a strong campaign for a ‘Fresh Start’ for East Hills and we are very excited to see the improvements they make to our local community in the coming years.

For the members who know Kylie well, they would be well aware of her ever-growing workload as a Director of the Revesby Workers’ Club Board since 28 October 2018, serving as the Deputy Chair on the Biyani House Board and President of Bankstown Jets Touch Association just to name a few. Kylie’s new appointment as our Local Member has meant a review of her positions was required and it was for this reason that Kylie made the difficult decision to resign from her position as Director of Revesby Workers’ Club Ltd effective 4 April 2023.

Kylie has achieved a significant amount in her time serving as a Director for the last 4+ years.  Kylie was instrumental in the opening of the Biyani House Revesby Women’s Shelter, has had oversight of the newly renovated Rogues Sports Club and the introduction of Miss Iggy’s and offered support to her sub-clubs, namely Revesby Workers’ Football Club, Senior Golf, Revesby Workers’ Touch Football Club, Indoor Mixed Bowls and more recently the Scrabble Club and Australian Native Orchid Club.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am sure our members would join us in wishing Kylie every success in her new role as our Local Member and thank her for everything she has done not only for the Club but the local Community.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Last month Directors and members of the Scholarship Committee met with recipients of the 2023 Tertiary Scholarships.

This year the Club had 31 previous recipients receive their $500 scholarship for their ongoing studies providing a total of $15,500 to previous recipients.  6 of these recipients are in their final year of studies and we take this opportunity to wish them every success on the completion of their degree and as they look to join the workforce permanently.

We also received 14 new applications of which 8 achieved an ATAR of over 90, noting that these high achievements were very similar to last year and set a very high benchmark.  The 2023 Scholarship Program awarded 1 male and 1 female with a $3,000 scholarship and 12 applicants with a $500 scholarship totalling $12,000 to new applicants in 2023.  All of our 2023 recipients will receive a further $500 for each subsequent year of their degree upon submission of successful results.

This takes the total of Tertiary Scholarship payments in 2023 to $27,500.

An afternoon tea for our scholarship recipients took place on Sunday, 2 April 2022, an event attended by 35 of our recipients and their parents.  A special mention must be given to the recipients of the $3,000 scholarships in 2023:

• Sarah Arnold who achieved an ATAR of 96.55 and will be studying a Bachelor of Science and Advanced Studies; and
• Rashad Islam who achieved an ATAR of 97.70 and will be studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Exercise Psychology.

Congratulations to all of our previous and new recipients.

TRADING FLOOR RENOVATIONS

Renovations throughout the Club continue through to late May when the final stage will be completed.  We would like to thank our members and guests for their patience in what has been quite a significant renovation.

As you would appreciate, a renovation of this size takes a great deal of collaboration and planning between staff and tradesmen to ensure the project is executed in a timely manner and completed on schedule.

We would like to congratulate our Executive Manager of Gaming, Allison Gibbons and her team for the effort and significant time they have put into this project together with Executive Manager of Facilities, Simon Melham and his team for their ongoing assistance during the renovation itself which was split over 5 separate areas.

No project of this size is without its hurdles, however, all staff involved managed the process from start to finish extremely well while ensuring as little interruption to our members as possible.

AUDITORIUM AND FUNCTIONS RENOVATIONS

We would like to advise our members that the Board of Directors are currently reviewing a proposal for a much-needed renovation to our Auditorium and Functions area in 2024.  A project team led by Executive Manager of Food and Beverage, Darren Foots is currently in the planning phase with architects and designers to discuss our requirements and design a new look and feel for the space upstairs.  The Board look forward to reviewing their proposal in the coming months.

Subject to Board approval, it is expected that renovations may commence in early 2024 and we ask that our members be mindful of the renovations in the near future as this means function rooms will not be available throughout this period putting a significant amount of pressure on other areas within the Club that are utilised as function spaces.

We will endeavour to keep our members well informed of the exact start date of these renovations once known and the expected timeframe that these areas will be non-operational.

We appreciate your patience as we continue to renovate the Club in stages in order to be able to continually offer our members a modern, enjoyable and spacious Club that caters to everyone within the Community.