In July we’re excited to celebrate our rich history at a NSW Government House event hosted by our Patron, Her Excellency the Hon Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor of NSW.
We’ve come a long way in the 70 years since our important work was started out by a small group of family members hosting a Psychiatric After Care Club at Callan Park Hospital to help loved ones transition well to community life. It was a ground-breaking first step toward turning desperation to hope for people with mental illness at a time when the subject was taboo.
More was needed to bridge the gap in opportunities and we expanded into the community with a wide range of practical services, from a philosophy of self-help and personal empowerment, with the founding of PRA (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association). Establishment of Richmond Fellowship of NSW followed, delivering accommodation services, and the two organisations merged in 2012 to form Flourish Australia.
The rebrand reflected our dedication to providing people on their mental health recovery journey with every opportunity to thrive in their life.
It’s important to honour the hard work and contributions of so many people, decade after decade, from our visionary founders Hepzibah and Richard Hauser, to the passionate Peer Workforce we have today. The constant has been quality care and highly personalised support for people experiencing mental health issues, coming alongside them with companionship and encouragement, and advocating for their right to live a good life in the community.
In an increasingly competitive industry, funding has always been a challenge. With the launch of our Flourish Foundation in 2022 we leveraged the influence of six remarkable Ambassadors to elevate conversations around mental health and identify vital new partnership and funding opportunities for the continuation of our services.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Governor for being our esteemed patron. And thanks to everyone who has contributed to making Flourish Australia what it is today, including those accessing our services, their families and carers, our wonderful staff, funders, partner organisations, donors, and Board members. Your unwavering support and dedication have been instrumental in our journey.
Just last week we were saddened by the passing of Board member John Hall AM who joined the Board of PRA in 1993, became Chair, helped lead our merger, then became the first Chair of Flourish Australia. We are so grateful for his 31 years of tireless efforts which continued until late 2024 when he became unwell.
Here’s to continuing in that pioneering spirit for generations to come.
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For more information, contact us on 1300 779 270 or make an enquiry now.
