100 Years of Volunteering at Brierfield Hall

100 Years of Volunteering at Brierfield Hall

A ‘thank you’ morning tea has recently taken place for 3 long-standing Brierfield Hall Management Committee members, Kath McPhail, Tom O’Connor and Beverley Gambling. Between them they have clocked up more than 100 years of volunteer service to the Hall.

The Mayor, Dominic King presented these volunteers with a certificate acknowledging their service to the Council and the community. Current Management committee members Jane Noack and Agi Peterdi listened as their predecessors shared stories about the hall, including the many dances, school activities and children’s groups held in the hall since it was built, with the official opening taking place on New Years’ Eve 1924.

Tom, whose father was one of the people who built the hall, shared stories of the days when people would come from all over the Shire for the regular dances and he would take on the job of ‘billy boiler’ for the gathered crowds.

Sharing the stories of the past has inspired discussion about the possibility of documenting the history of the hall and the Brierfield stories.

“Both Kath and Tom were born in Brierfield and have stories to share which we need to capture before they are forgotten. It would be great to get some of the local primary school students involved in a project which records these stories and the history of the hall for future generations,” said the Mayor, Dominic King.

The newer committee members left feeling inspired and are calling out to residents of Brierfield or the larger Bellingen community who might be interested in assisting in the ongoing management of the hall to contact Fiona Hannaford on 6655 2786.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Pattinson on 6655 7300.