Hi, my name is Tamara, and my role at RFW includes dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on all our contracts and legal matters, from fundraising to child safety, to ensure we are operating in line with our mission, all the while respecting and understanding our legal and social obligations.

I’m passionate about making sure that we, as a charity, hear the voices of our country kids and families loud and clear.

What led you to RFW?

Following the birth of my twin boys in 2009, I took a longer than expected break from my (paid) working life as a lawyer in a city law firm as I embraced the role of full-time mum to my then three kids under the age of two!  Many of you will recognise that it was anything but a “break” and that the workforce provides important connections and purpose that help keep things in perspective.

After a chance meeting with our remarkable CEO, Lindsay Cane AM in 2017, I came to RFW to volunteer, and met some wonderful people, many of whom continue to work alongside me in this truly unique workplace. Things clicked for me at RFW and I was grateful when offered permanent employment.

What keeps you here?

Country kids are at the heart and soul of everything we do.  They are our reason for being, for trying harder, for making things happen.

It’s a challenging environment with lots of moving parts, but I know that what we are doing is making a difference to the lives of country kids. I sometimes feel a tad envious of our fabulous clinicians, who see first-hand the impact we have on these kids and their families, which is probably why I became interested in riding for country kids!

Ride for Country Kids (RFCK) 2021

To be closer to the action and to help make a bigger contribution to RFW, I signed up for our amazing annual Ride for Country Kids three-day event.  I love running and keeping fit, and knew that not being a cyclist was no excuse. I borrowed a bike to be sure I could safely ride from A to B, and I was hooked! Quickly after, I invested in a bike (these are NOT cheap), had my share of spills, especially when I had to master the trickery of clip-in pedals, and had a serious accident last year while mountain biking, but, as soon as I could, I was back up on my bike again, taking off for regular weekend 100+km training treks and a couple of rides during each week.

You really do have to believe to achieve, and I’m looking forward to our 450+km trek from Dubbo to RFW’s spiritual home in Cobar. I’m told it’s an epic journey and one that changes how you see yourself.

Experienced RFCK cyclists talk about the heart-warming reception they receive as they ride through our wonderful rural communities, and I can’t wait to chat with locals as they share their experiences of Royal Far West.

The countdown is on, and I can’t wait to start the journey in Dubbo in the early hours of Sunday 2 May!

RFCK is our charity’s biggest fundraiser, and we rely on the generous donations of many people to help us support kids and families in rural and remote areas.

If you can, please support me, Tamara O’Dowd, and the other riders in my team (Nick, Chris and Lucy) via our fundraising page. Thank you.