Margaret Thorne would be worthy recipient of the Rotary Inspirational Women’s Award because of
her volunteer community work in the Hawkesbury district that has spanned over 65 years,
including being President of the Richmond School of Arts NSW since 1981.
Below is a summary of Margaret’s community work:

• 1952 to 2000 – Margaret was associated with The Richmond Players – a community
  amateur theatrical society based at Richmond School of Arts in NSW. Margaret started
  as an usherette in 1952 and progressed to working back stage, directing and
  performing. Margaret performed in dozens of plays, and held every executive position of
  the Richmond Players committee over the years.

• 1953 to 1957 – Margaret was a volunteer member of the CWA Younger Set. Margaret
  remembers organising dances to raise money for the CWA and also to entertain young
  men from the nearby Hawkesbury Agricultural College (now a campus of Western
  Sydney University).

• 1954 to 1963 – Margaret was a volunteer member of the Richmond High School ExStudents Association. Funds were raised through balls, concerts and numerous social
  functions to build tennis courts at the school, which Margaret helped to build.

• 1954 onwards – Margaret became a volunteer member of the Hawkesbury Choral
  Society. Over the years Margaret has sung at countless openings of flower shows,
  opening of fetes, eisteddfods, weddings and funerals.

• 1983 onwards – Margaret’s husband Bruce became a member of the Rotary Club of
  Richmond NSW. From that time Margaret became involved in all sorts of Rotary fund
  raising activities, including working bees, golf days and working in the Richmond Rotary
  canteen at the annual Hawkesbury Show for the past 35 years. Margaret was involved
  in social events, wine trips, theatre parties and bus trips. Margaret was also involved
  helping Bruce in his role as club welfare officer for many years. In 2001 Margaret was
  awarded a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Richmond NSW in recognition of
  her Rotary volunteer work.

• 1977 onwards – Margaret has been involved with the Richmond School of Arts. In 1977
  Margaret was involved with the Richmond Players organising a concert that was held in
  the Windsor Function Centre to raise funds to build new toilets for the Richmond School
  of Arts. From that time on Margaret became a volunteer member of Richmond School of
  Arts and became President in 1981 (and first female president in 120 years), a position
  that continues today.

• 2004 – The Richmond School of Arts receives an Australia Day Award from
  Hawkesbury City Council in the category of Community Organisation – Special
  Achievement.

• 2006 – Margaret is awarded Hawkesbury Citizen of the Month for September 2006.

• 2012 – The Richmond School of Arts receives an Australia Day Award from
  Hawkesbury City Council in the category of Cultural Heritage Award.

 

The Richmond School of Arts since Margaret’s involvement from 1977:

• Over the past 40 years there have many improvements to the Richmond School of Arts,
  including the installation of a fully equipped commercialised kitchen, air conditioning in
  both halls, an audio-visual system, updated lighting and sound equipment in the main
  auditorium, carpeting of the walkways, a major refurbishment of the Murray Wing and
  the Archerfield Room, upgrading of the toilets, installation of security fencing and
  cameras, complete padded seating for 168 people and a new stage curtain in the main
  auditorium, installation of fully compliant access ramps and a modern office.

• The upgrading of the Murray Wing in the late 1990s had been on a wish list of the
  Trustees ever since Margaret became involved with the Richmond School of Arts in the
  1970s. The upgrade was funded 50% from a Government grant and the other 50% from
  years of fund raising activities.

• Margaret says her proudest achievement at the Richmond School of Arts is that the
  building is a fully functional community facility that complies with all modern day
  requirements, despite the original part of the building being over 150 years old, having
  being opened by Sir Henry Parkes in 1866.

• Another proud achievement for Margaret was the attendance of Dame Marie Bashir at
  the 150th celebration of the opening of the Richmond School of Arts building in 2016.

 

Margaret’s current activities at the Richmond School of Arts:

• Attendance 2 full days per week to open the office and attend to administration work –
  correspondence, invoicing users, paying of suppliers’ invoices, banking, organising
  planned and reactive maintenance, answering enquiries for bookings and inspections,
  showing rooms to prospective tenants and users, liaison with existing tenants to ensure
  their expectations are being met and countless other tasks.

• Further considerable time is also spent at home answering diverted phone calls, doing
  further administrative work, attending to any security issues and planning for the future.

   

• Chairing the monthly Trustees’ meeting, including preparation of the agenda.

• The above many hours of work each week are all aimed at maintaining the financial
  sustainability of the Richmond School of Arts.

The Richmond School of Arts remains very connected to the local community – regular current
activities include, Zumba and Pilates classes, dance classes, drama classes, a regular church
group, the Hawkesbury Valley Lapidary club and of course the Richmond Players. Also catered for
are parties, weddings, art shows, functions, training classes and numerous other activities.
In conclusion what makes Margaret an inspiration? Well in my opinion it is the huge amount of
community volunteer work put in week after week, month after month, year after year, over the last
65 years. I believe Margaret would be well deserving of recognition from the Rotary Inspirational
Awards for Women, as she is truly an inspiration.
Yours sincerely
Rob Stalley
On behalf of the Rotary Club of Windsor NSW