Local Women recognised for their community contribution
In a combined event at Uniting Church Hall, with friends and family of both women in attendance, Mrs Beverly Rankin was recognised as Local Woman of the Year 2021, and Mrs Robyn Livermore was presented an award for her inclusion on the 2020 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll.
Beverly was recognised for her years of dedicated service to the community. This began in the late 70s, when Beverly trained in Youth Work with Fusion Australia.
It wasn’t long before Beverly left her full-time job to work full time with Fusion, as an unsalaried vocational staff person. While the scope of her work has been broad, her special interests included working with secondary school children to help them explore a sense of purpose and spirituality.
In 1989, with Fusion, Beverly and her husband played a critical role in establishing a residential youth work training centre, with a focus on equipping High School staff with the skills for youth support.
Since then, Beverly’s contribution to the community has grown exponentially, including the development of an innovative High School outreach program, annual ‘Pilgrimages to Uluru’ to assist aboriginal and non-aboriginal teenagers to explore our cultural heritage, advocating for people experiencing family violence, and much more.
In 2020, while many sources of low-cost or free meal services were shut down due to COVID-19, she initiated the Hot Meals Outreach. Beverly and her husband also host young people in need of out of home care, and she is actively involved in the Orange Uniting Church. [R1]
Robyn Livermore’s passion over the years has been working with the mentally and physically disabled and disadvantaged.
Robyn grew up in Manildra and attended Manildra Central School and Marsden College. She was a Girl Guides leader for five years. After her marriage to Alex, she and her husband moved to Dubbo, then Parkes, where their children, Mark, and Louise, attended school. There she helped with many school activities – canteen, fetes, and remedial reading.
While working in Parkes, Robyn did crisis work for families in need.
In 1981, the family moved to Orange and Robyn worked for five years after school hours at Croagh Patrick Orphanage with the Sisters of Mercy in the crisis centre. In 1986, Robyn started work at Anson Street Special School as a teacher’s aide, working with children with special needs, both physical and mental disabilities. She learnt sign language.
At Anson Street, Robyn wrote the school song, which is still in use today, she would organise the annual concerts and still attends and assists with these after her retirement.
Ten years ago, along with her husband, Robyn became a volunteer at the Riding for the Disabled in Orange and for the last two years she has been president of the association. One of her greatest achievements at the Riding for the Disabled was coordinating the students for the state-wide Musical Ride competition. The children have won the state competition on many occasions, and recently came second in the world competition.
Capt: (L-R) Member for Orange, Philip Donato, Mrs Robyn Livermore, and Mrs Beverley Rankin.