200 years of benevolence

In May, 1813, Lachlan Macquarie was Governor of NSW, John and Elizabeth Macarthur were sending out the first Australian wool exports, and the Blue Mountains still formed an impenetrable barrier to Australia’s European settlers (Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth would find a way through in June).

Consideration of these facts highlights just how long The Benevolent Society has been caring for Australians: in May, 1813, the charity began assisting Aussies in need, becoming the catalyst for many social protections we enjoy today.

“Imagine an Australia without free legal aid, child protection laws, the old age pension or maternity care and you’ve just imagined Australia without The Benevolent Society,” says The Benevolent Society CEO, Anne Hollonds.

In 2013, The Benevolent Society is as relevant as ever. Sydney resident Nicole* is indicative of the assistance provided by the modern-day Benevolent Society, with the Mum of two kids, aged six and nine, receiving help from the organisation at various points of her life.

“I had a pretty rough upbringing,” says Nicole. “Mum was schizophrenic, so I was brought up by my Grandmother and spent time in [a home] run by the society.”

Nicole’s fractured upbringing led to periods of depression and anxiety as an adult, and she suffered from post-natal depression. Again, The Benevolent Society was on hand to help. After the birth of her second child, she attended weekly counselling and playgroup sessions for five years.

“If it wasn’t for them, things would have turned out very different for me and my kids,” says Nicole.

The society assists Australians at all stages of life, as highlighted by 85-year-old Bob Fergusson, who lives at a Benevolent Society retirement village at Little Bay.

Bob represents two sides of the society’s story – helping and helper. Not only is he a client but he’s one of the group’s best-loved volunteers, helping out at their head office once a week “doing mail outs, putting invoices into folders, whatever they need”.

“It’s important to give back to an organisation that’s helped me and so many others,” he says. “They’ve done so much for so many people.”

*Surname omitted for privacy reasons.