Nancy Royle’s 100th Birthday
We were delighted to celebrate a remarkable milestone with one of our long-time participants, Nancy Royle, who turned 100 years old on August 6th. Nancy has been a cherished member of the BEST Club for many years, known for her sharp mind, wonderful sense of humor, and impeccable style.
Nancy has recently withdrawn from the BEST Club and Belconnen Community Centre as she has transitioned into residential aged care, where she will receive the full-time support she needs.
Nancy has lived through a century of extraordinary events and changes, witnessing pivotal moments in history such as the Great Depression, Sydney Harbour Bridge opening, World War II, the development of penicillin and much more.
To have lived through such a time of immense change speaks volumes about Nancy’s character and strength. Her warm presence and indomitable spirit will be dearly missed at the club by all the great friends she has made. We wish Nancy all the best in this new chapter of her life and feel so privileged to know her and to celebrate her reaching such an impressive milestone.
Recent News Stories
Following on from the signage placed around the Belconnen Community Centre and notices distributed to participants, we are sharing this update to confirm that the Swanson Court carpark has now permanently closed as of Tuesday 2 April 2025, due to a new development at the site by JWLand.
Young people in Belconnen now have easier access to free, confidential health and wellbeing support with the arrival of the T25 Clinic at Belconnen Youth Centre. Every Thursday from 2pm to 5pm the T25 Clinic van, Mini Pat, will be on-site offering a safe and welcoming space for young people aged 12 to 25. There’s no need for an appointment – just drop in when you need support.
The Canberra Day Appeal 2025 has wrapped up for another year and we are grateful to everyone who contributed, either by making a donation or helping to spread awareness. Thanks to the generosity of our community, employees and corporate supporters, we raised an amazing $6,736.40 – an increase from $5590 in 2024. These funds will go directly towards recruiting, training and supporting more volunteer transport drivers, ensuring people in our community can get to their essential medical appointments for chronic health conditions such as cancer and kidney disease.
Patsy is a lifelong storyteller and a creative spirit. For nearly 20 years, she was a storyteller at early childhood education centres, captivating children with her tales – sometimes using handmade props to bring them to life, other times sharing stories she wrote herself. Creativity has always been second nature to her, and when she’s caught up in a project, time flies by often leading to late nights. Though she recently stepped away from storytelling, she continues her creative pursuits, including a quilt project through Involve (stay tuned!).
For Therese Beckmann, sewing isn’t just about fabric and stitches – it’s a way of telling stories, bringing people together and creating something meaningful. After 30 years of working in sewing, dressmaking and teaching, she realised she wanted to take her skills beyond the retail space and into the community. She had always felt drawn to the senior age group, especially after hearing students in her art classes say, “This is better than therapy.” Hearing it over and over made her realise just how powerful creativity could be in bringing people together and improving wellbeing.