Established in 1925, the Fremantle Hospital (FH) Ladies Auxiliary is this year proudly celebrating its 100-year anniversary.
The Auxiliary was founded at a time when the Fremantle Hospital’s accounts showed them to be 800 pounds in arrears, with members of the local community banding together to help out with food and supplies.
The very first item the Auxiliary donated to the hospital, according to meticulously kept handwritten records, was a porcelain bedpan, followed by an x-ray tilt table and other patient comforts such as pyjamas, slippers, dressing gowns and knitted socks.
Archival material from the 1940s, as war waged across the globe, reported that a member of the Ladies Auxiliary visited patients of the hospital every day except Christmas Day wheeling trollies laden with tea, coffee, biscuits and other amenities.
The Auxiliary played a very important role in the development of the hospital over the years – raising over $4.5 million to date – funding essential medical equipment, research grants, renovations and improvements to patient care among others.
They have proudly supported the Fremantle Hospital Research Foundation, now The Hospital Research Foundation Group (THRFG), since 2005, contributing more than $300,000 to many life-changing research projects across pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and dementia.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Fremantle Hospital Ladies Auxiliary’s very generous support over the years which has supported numerous researchers and changed the health outcomes not only of the local community but nationally and globally,” said THRFG Group Chief Executive Officer, Paul Flynn.
“These volunteer organisations are the lifeblood of our communities and to have marked 100 years of service is a remarkable achievement that we thoroughly commend them for and thank them for their generous support.”
Today as it looks to mark 100 years in September, the Auxiliary remains an integral part of the hospital’s culture. They have 25 active volunteers who each do two shifts a week, with one proud member still going strong at the age of 96.
While the style of food the ladies have served over the years may have changed, with a focus these days on health and nutrition, the dedication to service remains the same according to the Ladies Auxiliary Chair Helen Eaves.
“There have been a lot of friendships made, a lot of laughs over the years and it gives us the chance to give back and to stay active and a part of the community.
“While we are all getting on in years, many of our ladies our now in their 80s, we very much feel a part of the Fremantle Hospital community and have forged fantastic friendships over the years with the staff and patients.”
If you wish to make donation directly to a hospital, ward or cause of your choice, please don’t hesitate to chat to our friendly team on (08) 6215 8940.
