What is the Lighthouse Community?
The Lighthouse Community is a Christian organisation that offers a safe and friendly environment in which people can develop trusting relationships and where they can find, and offer each other, practical, emotional and spiritual support. The Lighthouse Community also offers similar support to other families and individuals in the Bondi/Waverley area, within a Christian context. It is also a registered Charity and Deductible Gift Recipient where donations over $2 are tax deductible.
History of the Lighthouse
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY
The Lighthouse Community was established in 1992 with the vision, energy, and organisational skills of Wendy Jamieson. Wendy lived and worked in the Bondi Beach area and was the first Social Worker for Waverley Council and started many of the services we now take for granted, for example Meals on Wheels, Out of School Hours Care, and the Bondi Beach Cottage. Due to her contact with local families, Wendy realised there was a desperate need for an informal service that would provide practical help.
In the beginning, the Lighthouse was simply referred to as “The House” and met in the old Rectory of St Andrew’s Anglican Church on Wairoa Ave. where Wendy and Rodger Jamieson were members. When the doors opened in May 1992, it was for a play group – but a play group where women could have some time out over coffee and biscuits, while the children had educational activities with a play leader in the playroom and garden. This group quickly became immensely popular and it was over the coffee and biscuits that Wendy came to hear of the huge need for practical assistance – ie accommodation; furniture; removals; advocacy with government departments, medical and legal services and with schools; support at change over at access visits; transport; food; and help with homework. Gradually Wendy drew in volunteers to help her provide these services. She also applied for many grants and in August 1992 she was successful in obtaining a grant that was to be the main support to the Lighthouse during the early years. It was from the Archbishop’s Care and Development Fund and was to help start new initiatives. With this money it was possible to pay a part-time staff member. In September 1992, Melody Pyrke was employed by the Lighthouse 3 days per week as a family support worker.
The Homework Help Program began unofficially on Sunday mornings in 1994, but when the football season started, it moved to after school on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and soon grew in numbers. A few months later, high school homework help began on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At this point Wendy asked Waverley Council if the small grant they had given us for an adult sewing class could be transferred to homework help. Council readily agreed and have continued to support us with this grant ever since. The grant was used to employ Craig McNaughton as homework help coordinator and he remained in that role until he left to study teaching at Uni in July 2005.
The House continued to grow and in December 1997 was renamed The Lighthouse when it became necessary to incorporate. Also in this year The Archbishop’s Community Care and Development Fund generously increased their funding to pay the Family Support worker for 5 days a week, and started to lobby Anglicare (the Welfare arm of the Anglican Church) to fund the Lighthouse permanently. In March 1999 this finally took place after a great deal of negotiation. This meant that, for the first time, Wendy was paid a part-time salary as well as full-time salaries for the family support worker and the homework help coordinator.
In 2001, due to the illness of their Director, Anglicare underwent restructuring and the new management’s priority was records, accountability and health and safety issues. It soon became clear that it was no longer possible, with a staff of 2½, to continue to provide the same services as well as do all the newly required administration. Finally the Anglicare Senior Manager asked Wendy to decide whether she wanted to be part of the Anglicare Welfare service or to run a Christian Community. The Lighthouse Management Committee met and after much prayer decided that the Lighthouse would always be a Christian Community first and foremost, and so it would be necessary to separate from Anglicare in order to continue to provide this. Accordingly, in January 2002, The Lighthouse reincorporated and moved out of the old Rectory.
This presented a huge challenge to Wendy as she was now faced with running the Lighthouse without a building or any funding. As usual, she applied her great ingenuity and determination and quickly had the major services accommodated in other community buildings when they were vacant, and that is the way the Lighthouse has continued to function. Waverley Council decided to give the homework help grant back again in 2002, but all other funding has been by donation. It is purely by the grace of God, and the generosity of church groups and individuals who donate finances and time, that the Lighthouse has been able to continue.
However, there was a worse crisis ahead for the Lighthouse when Wendy became seriously ill in June 2004 and was found to have pancreatic cancer. In spite of being extremely sick, Wendy continued to run the Lighthouse from her bed, directing the staff, and enjoying visits from many community members. In spite of much prayer and excellent treatment from the staff at Prince of Wales Hospital, Wendy passed away in March 2005, and has been terribly missed by the whole community ever since.
Members of the Management Committee and other members of the Lighthouse community came together for a day of prayer and discussion, and decided that the Lighthouse would continue. One of the members who was determined that Lighthouse should continue was Glynis Wharekawa and, although she was far from well, she gave much practical support and encouragement. Sadly for all at Lighthouse Glynis passed away on 30 November 2009.
Late in 2009 Waverley Council honoured Wendy by approving a memorial plaque to be laid on the Bondi Beach Promenade to commemorate her work in the Bondi Community.
On the 24th March, 2017, we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Lighthouse serving the community. By the grace of God, the assistance of so many people, and the support of the community itself, the Lighthouse still continues to provide a Christian Community of people who all help to support each other, reach out to the wider community, and grow in the knowledge and love of God.
WENDY JAMIESON
“Tireless Supporter of Social Justice”
9th November 1949 – 27th March 2005
Further donations to continue Wendy’s vision and the work of the Lighthouse Community Inc. may be made to:
The Lighthouse Community Inc. Donation Fund
PO Box 3334 Tamarama NSW 2026, Ph: 0427 707 006
THE LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY Inc. is a registered as a deductible gift recipient. Donations over $2 to The Lighthouse Community Inc. Donation Fund are allowable as a tax deduction. Please include your name and address so that a receipt may be issued.