History: Service to community through welfare and care

Edith Beasley:

Service to the community through welfare and the care of disabled children saw three prominent Gunnedah residents honoured with the Order of Australia Medal.

In 1982, Edith Emma Beasley’s innovative approach to teaching children with a disability changed the lives of her pupils and their families and saw her acknowledged with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

A special person in Gunnedah’s history, Edith was the heart and soul of a groundbreaking facility which provided educational and life training for children with an intellectual disability.

Born in Orange in 1924, Edith trained as a nurse at Royal North Shore Hospital before marrying Robert Beasley. They raised a family of five children. When they moved to Gunnedah in 1962, there was a community push to provide learning facilities for children with an intellectual disability and Edith was the first teacher at the new GS Kidd Memorial School, with lessons first held in temporary premises at the Scout Hall. She became a champion for children living with an intellectual disability and after 20 years of love, care and compassion, Edith retired from her role but she had ignited a fire that would keep on burning as the school became a leader in its field and was expanded over the years until moving into a modern new building. Edith Beasley died in December 2016 at the age of 92.

In 1982, Edith Emma Beasley’s innovative approach to teaching children with a disability changed the lives of her pupils and their families and saw her acknowledged with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

Ossie Campbell OAM:

Oswald Matthew Campbell received the Order of Australia (OAM) honour for service to the community, particularly with the St Vincent de Paul Society. Deeply committed to his Catholic faith, Ossie Campbell was a tireless worker for struggling families through the Knights of the Southern Cross, and the St Vincent de Paul Society charity for more than 50 years, caring for the poor and disadvantaged. He and his wife Beryl raised eight children and would often accommodate people in need in their own home. A builder by trade, he was heavily involved in the construction of the first St Vinnie’s centre and in 1980 he became the full-time voluntary manager. In March 1983 he was named Gunnedah’s Senior Citizen of the Year and three years later he received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his valuable work in the community. Ossie died in February 1997, aged 81.

Aileen Elizabeth Favell:

Aileen Elizabeth Favell was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to community welfare, through the Gunnedah & District Children’s Assistance Committee, often fostering children in emergency situations. Aileen Favell and her husband Jim were lifetime champions of the batter. Jim’s work in the coal industry brought them to Gunnedah in 1952 and Aileen soon became involved in welfare and charitable work, initially with the establishment of Yallambee Homes, before turning her attention to the Children’s Assistance Committee and devoting 27 years to its work. A caring and compassionate local, Aileen took on other people’s burden, particularly young people and pensioners. For 23 of those years, she was welfare officer for the Gunnedah Children’s Assistance Committee, and for more than a decade she was a friendly face at court for young people under arrest, visiting them in the lock-up and appearing with them in court. In a voluntary capacity, she provided counselling a for offenders and their families. During this time, the Favells provided short, medium- and long-term care for almost 200 children. Aileen held many other voluntary positions in the community including as a driver for the volunteer transport scheme. She was also chair of the Gunnedah Family Support Group and was involved in the setting up of a women’s crisis agency which provided a safe refuge for women and children fleeing from domestic violence. In 1985 she received an award of merit as part of Telecom’s Advance Australia program and this was followed by the Order of Australia Medal in 1990. Three years later she was honoured by the community with the naming of the Goodwin Road accommodation for young people on low incomes and the naming of Favell Place.

Jim died in 2012 and was followed by Aileen in September 2013, at the age of 87.