Wesley Fair opening report
Governor praises Wesley Fair
The NSW Governor, introduced by the Wesley Mission Superintendent as "the star in the Crown", opened this year's Wesley Fair by saying how astounded she had been to hear that the annual fair had been going for almost a century.
"It’s lovely to be here," Her Excellency the Governor, Professor Marie Bashir, said at the opening of the three-day fair on Wednesday, 3 October. "This is a time for everyone to feel young at Sydney’s oldest fair."
Frank Vickery has the Governor covered
Frank Vickery Village, the vast residential complex for the aged run by Wesley Mission in Sylvania, scored a bit hit with the NSW Governor, Professor Marie Bashir.
Dr Bashir bought a crocheted blue woollen rug created by one of the residents at the Village, saying how fine the work was.
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Aloha-ha-dancing for Wesley Fair is a load of fun
THE Wesley School for Seniors’ Polynesian Dancers and The Entertainers who wiggled, shimmied and high-kicked for charity at the Wesley Fair have been booked to provide entertainment for Uniting Church Christmas frolics in Turramurra.
“We do it for fun,” says Maria Filmer, aged 87, the highest kicker of them all and head of The Entertainers, who provided the Tuxedo Junction number at the Fair and, last year, the Village People’s action-song, YMCA.
Nancy Perry, head of the Polynesian Dancers, says she loves being invited to retirement homes and nursing homes with her colleagues to entertain people. “They love to see us,” Nancy says, “and it makes them think, ‘If they can do it, why can’t we?’”
There’ll be more on the dancers later, so watch this space.
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A FUNdraising Challenge for Wesley Fair
The Wesley Fair wound up last Friday with happy faces from all those who took part. The fund-raising contest between Wesley Mission’s Head Office and the School for Seniors, a Wesley Mission leisure and learning facility for senior citizens, provided a lot of fun.
At the fair, the Seniors sold recycled clothing and sold sandwiches, tea and coffee. In the lead-up to the fair, they gave their profits from the Wesley Clothing Shop, run five-and-a-half days a week, to the fair, as well as holding small concerts and running a small tea and coffee stall.
As for the Head Office, the head of the legal section, Bryce Bridges, lived up top his name by walking across seven Sydney Bridges to raise funds, while Norma Roumanus in Operations whipped up soup, baklava and kebabs on several days. Hana Rawlings in the Volunteers department cooked the most scrumptious and ornate gingerbread and raised a magnificent sum, while Elizabeth Newman at the front desk joined others in the City2Surf as their fund-raiser. The Community Relations department brought in baby photos to guess identities in a gold coin fund-raiser – and of course there was Frank Bugeja who stuck his neck out to be shaved for charity.
The other Wesley Mission centres were also hugely energetic.
“This year we ran a very successful antique show and valuation day that saw over 600 people not only pay an admission fee, but also saw many of them buy refreshments, and pay to have items evaluated,” said David Bentley, Operations Manager of the Self-Care Villages.
“We also ran a high tea, a fashion parade, travel slide shows, a night out at a local restaurant, sold craft and gift baskets, and had an annual fete.”
Roma Price, co-ordinator of FurnACHA, the recipient of money raised during the three days of the fair, had a sale of CDs, DVD and videos that were donated to them and is “absolutely thrilled” with the result.
The FurnACHA Shack is a project to provide essential household items for needy aged people who are moving in to assisted housing.
“I’m honoured to have FurnACHA be the recipient of Wesley Fair money,” Roma said. “ I really appreciates the effort a lot of people have put in.”
What is Wesley Fair?
Wesley Fair is Australia’s longest fundraising event and has been raising monies through the fun of its fair for 94 years. It includes individual fundraising activities by centres of Wesley Mission and a 3-day fair held around September and October each year.
Come enjoy a good old fashioned affair with plenty of homemade goodies, books, music, clothes, arts & crafts, bric-a-brac and more.
Funds raised by Wesley Fair
All money raised during the Wesley Fair 3-day affair goes towards improving Wesley Mission’s network of care.
This year, we turned our attention to the aged homeless with the establishment of the FurnACHA Shack. In the FurnACHA Shack premises, clients can browse and acquire essential household items, which support their choice to live independent and fulfilling lives and enable them to be active participants of their own lifestyle choices.
In 2006, the money was used to purchase much-needed equipment for the Northmead Children’s Respite Centre, which provides carers of children with disabilities a break from the long hours of constant caring.
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