Roslyn, Diabetes Support Group Convenor and Community Participation Committee member.
Roslyn has been volunteering in the community in a variety of capacities for over 20 years. “I didn’t realise at first how long I have been volunteering in different groups or studies”.
Her first encounter with volunteering came in 2001 when she began a 2-year commitment with a group called Keep the Pressure Down where it was discussed how to educate people about the importance of keeping your blood pressure under control. This initial volunteer role encouraged her to be an active member in many health and healthy ageing groups for the following 15 years, associated with Nillumbik Community Health, the Austin Hospital and then Banyule Community Health.
Since 1988 Roslyn has been a passionate and active member of the Banyule Community Health Diabetes Support Group. Over this extensive period, she has held several key volunteer roles, including treasurer and her current positions as convenor and newsletter editor which she has supported since 2017. Roslyn can be found spending time researching suitable recipes to print, finding suitable jokes to publish. Many group members report they are the first thing they read and a few husbands have been known to take the newsletter first to read the jokes!
“I didn’t ‘volunteer’ as such for these roles, they just ‘fell upon’ me to continue with, but I really enjoy what I do. I like being involved with the Banyule Community Health Diabetes Support Group, being able to help others cope with their diabetes and enjoying the friendships made within the group”.
In 2015, Roslyn extended her volunteering commitment yet again by joining our Banyule Community Health Community Participation Committee. “I feel as a committee we have achieved a lot towards the general running of BCH”.