On Friday, July 26th, Region 12 members from the auxiliary groups Kadina, Maitland/Arthurton, Moonta and Warooka/Yorketown gathered at the Kadina Bowling Club to celebrate their 61st Friends Annual Conference. The event was a wonderful opportunity for members who fundraise for the Women's and Children's Hospital to come together and share their experiences.

The Renmark Paringa Council recently celebrated a remarkable group of local volunteers during National Volunteer Week. The Friends are proud to recognise and honour their incredible commitment and achievement.

The Friends Moonta Auxiliary group comprises of 16 passionate and dedicated members who schedule regular ‘Country Music Concerts’ as their primary source of fundraising for the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.

Friends of the Kadina Auxiliary group have been making and donating care packs to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital since 2017. During this time around 400 packs have been distributed to hospital consumers.

The care packs consist of donated personal care items such as a mini shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a comb. The items are packed into donated toiletry bags or alternatively a toiletry bag sewn by our members.

The Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) annually fund a Christmas Lunch to acknowledge and thank the Friends Shops Volunteers for their outstanding service given to Rainbows and Vic’s Coffee Shop on site at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The Friends Tarlee/Stockport Auxiliary group held their very successful Melbourne Cup luncheon at the Hotel Central Riverton for the fourth year running. Hotel hosts Harry, Adam and Jasmin opened their doors to 60 people for an afternoon of sweeps, raffles and fashion parade kindly provided by the Riverton Boutique ‘Sassy Lass’. Chef Matthew Mitchell did not disappoint with a superb lunch menu.

Kadina residents Helen and Dean Rodda held their final ‘Camelot Garden Stroll’ springtime open generously allowing all gate proceeds to be donated to The Friends of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Inc’. Helen has been a member of the Friends Kadina Auxiliary for just over 30 years and continues to work tirelessly for charities within the local community.

The Friends of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Inc. (Friends) members celebrated 30 years as an incorporated association at their 30th Annual Conference and AGM at the Adelaide Royal Coach Hotel on the 27th of October 2023. The luncheon was extended to incorporate cutting of the cake including a very interesting history of the Friends kindly researched and presented by Friends Life Member Barb Lamkin.

Congratulations to Linda Brennan, who was awarded this year’s Parent Family Centred Care Award (PFCC). Linda is based at Child and Family Health Services (CaFHS) Edwardstown and showcases how using a person family centred care approach has resulted in better health outcomes for our consumers.

On Friday 28th July, Region 12 members from Auxiliary groups Kadina, Maitland/Arthurton, Moonta and Warooka/Yorketown attended their 60th Annual Conference at Arthurton.

Eleanor Langford opened the conference. Eleanor grew up in the area, became a doctor and moved back to her area as a local GP. Eleanor spoke about the self-collection Cervical Screening Test and discussed the changes in survival rates over the years. ‘About 800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Australia each year, and about 70% of these cases occur in women who have never screened or were not up-to-date with their screening. Having regular screening tests is the best way to protect yourself’.

Margaret Davies (Margie) is a Kadina Auxiliary group member of 50 years and a very proud Life Member. Margie explains how her membership came about…

“I was invited to join the auxiliary by Kadina Auxiliary President Corinne Warmington. I was newly married and didn’t know a soul in the area. Corinne took me under her wing.

Around thirty people gathered from far and wide at the Meningie Sailing Club on Monday, 19th June to attend the Friends of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Inc. Auxiliaries Division Region 5 conference.

Region 5 includes auxiliary groups Pinnaroo, Lameroo, Tintinara and Meningie with children utilising the hospital from these towns.