Annette has been working for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service (WRHS) across the Hunter and Central Coast for more than two decades. She has worked in several roles, but Annette said her current role as the Volunteer Coordinator is the best one yet.

Annette’s start at the WRHS was much like anyone else who has been at home with a newborn and their kids for an extended period…

“My youngest daughter was about 16 months old, and I needed to go back to work, I needed some adult interaction during the day!

“When I was interviewed for the job I sat down with Richard Jones, the then General Manager, and Peter Alcock the company secretary which I thought was pretty different, a part-time accounts officer being interviewed by the big bosses. It obviously went well because I’m still here 22 years later.”

Annette was in the accounting role for four years, then moved into the marketing assistant role for two-and-a-half years, before taking on the role of Events Coordinator for 12 years. After that Annette was ready for another change and moved into the Volunteer Coordinator position.

“I ran a lot of events! I seriously have no idea how I did them all now, with three kids and running a house. I look back and think ‘wow that was a ride!’

“The most memorable event for me was the Cycle Classic which was a five-day bike ride. It was just another extension of the helicopter family – sponsors came along with members of the community, and we’d get 25 to 30 riders each year.

“It took a lot of hours to pull it together, and the hours were long during the event but it was a lot of fun being around those people. “I’ve done high teas, golf days, walks, but the Cycle Classic is my favourite.

“I had amazing volunteers that would do lots of things so I could make sure the whole event ran smoothly, and I always looked forward to it every year. The people made it amazing, all my existence in this place has been awesome because of the volunteers.”

It was during the pandemic years that Annette was diagnosed with a rare but aggressive breast cancer.

Annette would never say it herself, but her wonderful family said she fought the cancer intensely over two years, not taking any time off work, despite the heaviest of chemotherapy doses.

What Annette will say is that she “kicked it’s arse and will keep on kicking it”.

“I had a lot more living to do thanks! It was difficult, but I was lucky in one way because it all happened during COVID. I could work from home so I didn’t have to explain it to many people. I was quite personal about it; I didn’t want to share it unless it was my story to tell. If I didn’t want someone to know then they weren’t going to know.

“It was a really hard time. This place was great, management were wonderful, and my family and friends were wonderful, and I did kick its arse and it stayed kicked.

Annette’s heart of gold, her strength and her determination are evident in the passion and determination she shows in her job with the WRHS.

Annette is incredibly grateful for the job she still gets to do, because of the wonderful people she does it with.

“I love my volunteers, they do this stuff for nothing, they are just lovely, lovely people. I have so much time for them.

“They are full of passion.

“A funny thing happened the other day, I was walking back to the office and the chopper was coming in. I just stand there and watch it every time, even after 22 years, and the next minute I look up to the second floor of the building and I can see my colleagues coming out just to stand there and watch it land. I thought to myself, ‘how cool is that we all still want to watch it land’.

“I understand the general public and children especially getting so excited when they see the chopper landing but it’s such a great feeling.

“Everybody knows about it; everyone knows the helicopter. The community is so amazing with their support not just here in the Hunter but in the New England, North West, the Central Coast, Lismore, Ballina, all of our communities are just fantastic. We couldn’t ask for too much more I don’t think.

“There are so many charities and NGOs around, so to still have the support is amazing. It shows when the service as well as the volunteers put on their events.

“Maybe I’ll volunteer one day when I’m not working anymore. The volunteers instill that passion in you to do something for nothing!”