It was an honour to welcome special guests, the Governor-General, Ms Sam Mostyn AC, and her husband His Excellency Mr Simeon Beckett SC to the event. Her Excellency spoke eloquently about our history and our work with children and families. Her inspiring words about the importance of care, kindness and respect resonated with our community and were a reminder of the values that are at the heart of all we do.
Our President Mary Verschuer spoke about the early days of The Infants’ Home. In 1874, a group of strong, courageous and forward-thinking women went against the social mores of the time to create the first and only home for single mothers and their babies.
We were also delighted to welcome distinguished guests Jo Haylen MP, Member for Summer Hill and long-time friend of The Infants’ Home, as well as past Board Presidents Cilla Barrand and Denise Taylor. Over 150 guests attended the event, including donors, supporters, friends, and past and present Board members and staff.
We thank our generous event sponsors, Bimbadgen and Goldman Sachs Gives, whose kind support helped bring the event to life.
We also extend our deepest gratitude to HMAS Sydney and her crew for their exceptional hospitality and dedication. HMAS Sydney has supported The Infants’ Home for an incredible 60 years. Despite the wet weather, it was truly special to celebrate our 150th anniversary on board HMAS Sydney V’s flight deck with magnificent city-scape views. The evening was made extra special with live music from Emad Younan and the Royal Australian Navy Band, delicious canapés and drinks, and the beautiful Sunset ceremony performed by the Navy to close the evening.
As well as celebrating our anniversary, ‘All Hands on Deck for Children’ was an important occasion to support ‘Each Family, Every Future’, a year-long fundraising campaign to preserve our heritage, expand our services and build an Outdoor Classroom. Each of these initiatives will ensure that we can continue providing quality education, care and wrap around support needed by children and families today and in the future.
True to our 150-year legacy, our commitment to helping children and families experiencing challenges or hardship who have been left behind by other services remains firm.
We thank everyone who has shown their support for our organisation and fundraising efforts, whether through buying tickets, donating, placing bids, sponsorship, or by simply sharing our message. Your ongoing support is truly appreciated.
To show your support for our important work, you can make a generous donation by clicking the Donate button below.
From left: His Excellency Mr Simeon Beckett SC, our President Mary Verschuer, the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, our CEO Elizabeth Robinson and Board member Sarah Michael.
Current President Mary Verschuer (centre) with past Presidents Denise Taylor (left) and Cilla Barrand.
From left: Our Corporate Partnerships Lead, Akhil Rodrigues, and Goldman Sachs team members Anthony, Georgia, Willana and Deborah. Goldman Sachs Gives kindly sponsored the event.
The beautiful Sunset Ceremony.