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City or the bush, Rosemary offers hope

14 December 2015
City or the bush, Rosemary offers hope

From troubled youth in Sydney's Kings Cross to lonely residents in an aged care home, Envoy Rosemary Richardson says everyone is looking for the same thing at Christmas.

Four years ago, Envoy Rosemary Richardson embarked on a “tree-change”. After several years working the streets of Sydney, offering hot drinks, blankets and a listening ear to homeless young people, she took on a chaplaincy role at The Salvation Army’s Rosedurnate Aged Care Plus Centre in the NSW country town of Parkes.

Christmas time at the aged care home, says Rosemary, is a mixture of joy and sadness. Many residents have lost someone close to them, some don’t have family members to visit, and others don't have anyone to visit them. “Christmas is a time when we really ramp up our love and support of our residents,” she says. “We make sure that everyone receives a gift and our staff go out of their way to prepare a beautiful feast, with table decorations, carol singing and other festive activities. It doesn’t matter who you are – homeless on the streets of Kings Cross, or an elderly resident of Parkes – everyone is looking for the same thing at Christmas time: Hope.”

Rosemary says there are many similarities between her old job in Kings Cross and the new one in NSW's central west. Rosedurnate is a world away from Kings Cross – a modern, warm and inviting aged care centre spread across three levels and housing 70 residents. But her mission ethic is the same: “It’s being a stable person in people’s lives; being able to listen and to be there when you are needed.”

Rosemary says she loved her work. “It is very fulfilling work and quite busy with chapel services, resident outings, activities, and pastoral care.” But most of all, she loves to sit with residents and listen. “Everyone has a story and I love to hear each of them, we spend a lot of time talking and sharing.

This Christmas, help give hope where it's needed most. For more stories like this, and to get involved, head to salvos.org.au/Christmas. 

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The Salvation Army acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures; and to elders both past and present.

The Salvation Army is committed to ensuring the provision of safe and inclusive environments for children, young people and vulnerable people where they feel respected, safe, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. The Salvation Army is a child safe organisation.