Long Term Community Advocate Retires

IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY TO SECURE AND IT WASN’T EASY TO DO, BUT WE DID IT

Long-standing Access Committee member Margaret Lawrence has been celebrated following her retirement from the advisory committee in August.

Margaret Lawrence spoke about her delight in being part of the committee and her greatest achievements while on the committee. The Clarence Valley resident said she joined the access committee after witnessing people playing bridge who couldn’t hear the announcers. “From past experience I was aware of hearing loops and those sorts of things,” she said. “So I thought, I’m going to do something about hearing loss. It’s a disability and people weren’t aware of it.” Through lobbying from the Access Committee, Council budgeted $30,000 to install hearing loops into Council’s chambers, offices, and community centres. “It was a lot of money to secure and it wasn’t easy to do, but we did it,” Mrs Lawrence said. The access committee also encouraged the Saraton Theatre and Catholic Church to install hearing loops. Other achievements Margaret Lawrence was proud of in her decade on the access committee included the White Cane Days and the Missed Business Booklet.

DID YOU KNOW?

Council has 11 advisory committees:

• Clarence Coast and Estuary Management • Clarence Valley Sports Advisory Committee • Lower Clarence Sports Advisory Committee • Clarence Valley Access Advisory Committee • Clarence Community and Cultural Advisory

Committee • Clarence Valley Community Climate Change

Advisory Committee • Grafton Saleyards Advisory Committee • Floodplain Risk Management Advisory Committee • Economic Development and Tourism Advisory

Committee • Water Efficiency Working Group • Biodiversity Advisory Committee