Page 1018 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2016
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Prior to the opening of the Marymead centre in Narrabundah in 1967, a group of local Canberra women commenced fundraising to help finance social welfare and missionary activities within the ACT. They tentatively called themselves the Marymead Association of St Francis. They had their inaugural meeting on 18 August 1964, and they raised 1,000 pounds in each of the following two years. Later they were renamed Marymead Auxiliary, in March 1966.
Since that time, the Marymead Auxiliary has coordinated hundreds of fundraising events and activities, including walkathons, fetes, tennis days, card days, balls, raffles and garden parties, with the funds raised being donated to Marymead, which, in turn, has provided much-needed support to thousands of children, young people and their families within the Canberra community.
The auxiliary continues to go from strength to strength. It has a current active membership of 48 and a staggering half a million dollars raised within the past eight years—2015 was its most successful year ever. There is no doubt that the Marymead Auxiliary has made and continues to make a long-term commitment to the ACT.
Congratulations to past and present members of the Marymead Auxiliary, who were presented with a pin at the launch of the strategic plan last week. I would also like to mention Marymead Nexgen, who fundraise, and congratulate their members as well for their hard work. They are younger people who complement the work of the auxiliary. Finally, thanks to Camilla Rowland, the CEO, the board, and all the staff and volunteers of Marymead, for their hard work, professionalism and dedication.
Mr Ian Wells
MR HINDER (Ginninderra) (6.06): I take this opportunity to mark the passing of Ian Derek Wells.
Ian was born in Ceylon, as it was then known, on 9 May 1934 and died on 1 March 2016. Ian spent his professional career in the RAAF and was a very distinguished pilot. He spent some time in the USA flying high-level altitude surveillance jet aircraft.
In 1962, Ian and his wife, Ingrid, also now deceased, moved to Canberra. Ian was, like me, a rugby tragic, involved with the Easts Rugby Club for 55 years. He was a life member of that club. Ian had been with my own club, the ACT vets rugby union, since its very early days, and last year received his 20-year badge. Ian contributed to both rugby and swimming here in the territory for over 50 years, as a coach and manager. Ian was instrumental in the creation of the ADFA women’s rugby club, which went on to foster many fine female players. Ian will be sorely missed by the rugby community, friends and, of course, his family.
Ian is survived by his sons Addam and Brendan—he had another son, Sean, who is also deceased—by Addam’s and Brendan’s partners, Kim and Karen, and by grandchildren Serena, Jade and Rhys. Ian was buried today at Gungahlin cemetery. Madam Speaker, if indeed rugby is the game they play in heaven, Ian will go straight into the first 15. My thoughts are with the family.
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