Here we are in 2024 already!  2023 was a huge year for the Club and our management and staff across all facets of our business deserve huge accolades for their outstanding work.

The Christmas break provided time for me to reflect on what a wonderful world we are living in right now, in Australia.  The atrocities in Israel and the Gaza Strip and the ongoing war in the Ukraine, with the Russian invasion, surely makes us all think about the individual lives that have been lost and families torn apart.

Within Revesby Workers Club, we have lots of sub-clubs that are run by great volunteers who are committed to enhancing other peoples’ lives.  From Little Athletics, Football, Bowls, Cricket – to name a few of the sporting sub-clubs – to the Garden Club, Ladies Group, Toastmasters and other common interest groups – there are lots of opportunities for our members to get involved.

One particular group, for which I am Liaison Director, is the Bankstown Stroke Recovery Group, which meets monthly in the Club.  This is an excellent group whose membership is fluid and comprises people who have experienced stroke, others who are carers and anyone else who shares an interest in new developments in assessing the risks, identifying stroke and ongoing updates in treatments. The Executive of this group arranges guest speakers to address most meetings and during 2023 we also had several trips – a morning tea at Headway in Bankstown (another group that work with people with acquired brain injury) and the Ingham Institute at Liverpool Hospital, which undertakes medical research. Visitors are always welcome at their meetings and I would encourage members and their families to come along if you have an interest in finding more about what inroads are being made in preventing, assessing and treating strokes.

Revesby Workers’ Club, through ClubGRANTS, has provided support to the local schools who specialise in the development of students who face intellectual and physical challenges over many years.  The teachers and staff at these schools do wonderful work for students with diverse learning needs and are truly dedicated. Prior to Christmas, I was privileged to be invited to attend the Presentation Day at Broderick Gillawarna School and the Year 12 graduation at Caroline Chisholm School.  The performances were truly uplifting, and the self confidence that these children have developed through their education is overwhelming.

The Club’s Charity Committee (which I am privileged to Chair) has continued to raise funds to assist the local community, in recent times by purchasing “wish list” equipment for Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.  We are most grateful for the support provided to the Charity by Revesby Workers’ Club through our Friday night meat raffles at the recently renamed Revesby Greens and through ticket sales for Seniors Concerts.  We have grown a very loyal group of supporters at our raffles and welcome newcomers!  Our (belated) Christmas in July function was lots of fun, as well.  During the year the Charity was able to provide $50,000 towards the purchase of a critical ultrasound device to assist during surgery at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.

As I said, we are truly lucky to live in Australia.  We look forward to another great year for Revesby Workers’ Club in 2024.

Christine Benham, Director