This month’s Community Champion is Joan Griffiths, Narrabri Shire Council’s 2024 Citizen of the Year.
Joan was born in Armidale, was married to her husband in Wollongong and then came back to live in Armidale and raise her family.
Sometime after Joan and her husband Don arrived back in Armidale, Joan’s husband was offered a position to manage Logan’s Furniture in Narrabri. They thought they would give it a go for three years, but 40 years later Joan still lives in Narrabri after her husband passed away last year, and has no intention of moving anywhere else, at this stage anyway.
Joan’s two children have moved away, but she certainly keeps herself busy spending her time helping at several volunteer organisations in the area both socially and with groups who help those in need now that she has retired from full-time work.
“I did quite a few jobs here in Narrabri. I worked for Logans Furniture for a long time, I did a full season of cotton chipping which was a little bit difficult, then I worked in the local post office for around 30 years. I think that gave me a really good understanding of the community and I got to know so many people.
“When the children were growing, I volunteered for things that they were involved in, particularly sport, and whatever else there was like pony camp. It’s just progressed from there and when I retired, I had more time.
“My husband was in a nursing home for the last couple of years of his life, so I had time to get involved in more things that really interested me as I got older.”
Among the many organisations Joan volunteers for are the Narrabri Carers and Caring Group, Dementia Friendly Town Committee, Namoi Women’s Shed, Meals on Wheels, Narrabri Parkinsons Support Group and Shared Table.
“I’m not one to sit still and do nothing, I like being busy,” said Joan.
Joan is a big advocate for the elderly in the local community. She is an active supporter for families and carers of dementia sufferers and has been officially recognised as a Dementia Australia advocate. This support includes Joan’s involvement with the Dementia Friendly Town Committee which organises several events including the Memory Walk to raise awareness and funds for Dementia Australia.
Joan is also passionate about fitness and a role model for older people to keep up their fitness through her participation in the Narrabri Parkrun and bushwalking as part of the Narrabri Bushwalking Club.
While they say you shouldn’t have favourites, Joan said for her own self-interest the bush walking club and the Namoi Women’s Shed are two of her favourites.
“It’s good fun getting out in the country.
“The women’s shed is like a men’s shed. We run our club out of the old Mitre 10 plumbing building and now we’ve been doing a lot of knitting and sewing and getting lots of community members involved.
“It’s a really nice group of ladies that are involved. Those who have knowledge impart it to others, it is a really great group of people.
“Being social is as important as anything else I think as you get older. Being social and being active are important for a healthy old age – hopefully!”
Joan has been recognised several times for volunteering efforts in the community being awarded the Narrabri Senior Citizen of the Year in 2023 and has also received the Motivation Award and Friendship Award as a member of the Narrabri Self Improvement and Help to Others.
“You get back more than you give with volunteering because you’re helping other people and if you can help someone and make part of their day better it just makes everything worthwhile.
“A lot of these things don’t require any money either so if you can just give up some of your time it makes a huge difference.
“I love the people that I meet and generally when you’re volunteering people are always happy and nice.”
Joan is 73 years old now and has no intentions of slowing down or giving up volunteering.
“My mum always said give something or do something good for somebody else and you’ll be happy.”
