Annette Westwood (Maiden name Clayton)
(Annette is pictured here on the right in a white nurse uniform with Princess Anne & Royal Far West children. Published in Far West Magazine, June 1970)
I was 16, still in school, when I first volunteered at the Royal Far West Children’s Home during the school holidays. My experiences there left such a deep impact on me that in 1970, at 19, I decided to work there permanently.
Working in both the medical part and the dormitories, I cared for children of all ages, making beds and going on excursions with them. We used to go to Taronga Zoo and the Navy picked me and the children up from Circular Quay and they took us to Garden Island.
One of the most unforgettable moments was the visit from Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne. I proudly wore my Nurse’s uniform, and I still cherish the newspaper photo of Princess Anne talking to me and the children.
Revisiting the Home during the 100th Celebrations last December brought back a flood of wonderful memories. My time at the Royal Far West Children’s Home was more than just a job; it was a calling that I will always cherish.
“I loved working at the Home.”
