Sometimes it is unsafe for children to live with their parents for a variety of reasons including substance abuse, mental illness, ill-health, imprisonment, or domestic violence. It is then that grandparents take on the role of primary carers.
Ten people came to that meeting. The energy in the room was palpable as they sat alongside grandparents who truly understood their situation. It was in that room, over cups of coffee, that GRGWA was born.
GRGWA is a safe space for grandparent carers to meet, access support, socialise with people who understand and gain information. We advocate for grandparent carers on a state and federal level to improve their lives – and the lives of those in their care.
| Alan Hoffman | President | |
| Dianne Franklyn | Vice President | |
| Jan McGillivray | Treasurer | |
| Philip Etherington | Secretary | |
| Sandy Nemaric | Board Member | |
| Kammi Rapsey | Board Member | |
| Cheryl McMillan | Board Member |
| Liz Law | Branch President | |
| Carolyn Sackville | Branch Vice President | |
| Marion Campbell-Smith | Branch Treasurer | |
| Maree Smith | Branch Secretary | |
| Alison Marshall | Branch Committee Member | |
| Carolyn Grayburn | Branch Committee Member | |
| Loryn Cummings | Branch Committee Member | |
| Sally Cole | Branch Committee Member |
| Bruce Horgan | 2008 |
| Barbara Arthur | 2011 |
| Noeline Barron | 2012 |
| Hadyn Opie | 2014 |
| Kathleen Opie | 2014 |
| Sharyne De Young | 2015 |
| Kaye Bendle | 2016 |
| Clive Rowden | 2019 |
| Penny Rowden | 2019 |
| Philip Etherington | 2020 |
| Jan Standen | 2021 |
| Year | President | Vice President | Treasurer | Secretary |
| 2001 | Roberta Blowes | Noeline Barron | Patricia Black | |
| 2002 | Bruce Horgan | Noeline Barron | Roberta Blowes | |
| 2003 | Bruce Horgan | Noeline Barron | Roberta Blowes | |
| 2004 | Bruce Horgan | Hadyn Opie | Barbara Arthur | Noeline Barron |
| 2005 | Bruce Horgan | Hadyn Opie | Barbara Arthur | Noeline Barron |
| 2006 | Bruce Horgan | Barbara Arthur | Noeline Barron | |
| 2007 | Bruce Horgan | Beverlie Corfe | Kath Opie | Gwen Duffy |
| 2008 | Cheryl Jean | Beverlie Corfe | Kath Opie | Susette Evans |
| 2009 | Cheryl Jean | Kath Opie | Susette Evans | |
| 2010 | Kaye Bendle | Kath Opie | Sharyne De Young | |
| 2011 | Kaye Bendle | Kath Opie | Sharyne De Young | |
| 2012 | Kaye Bendle | Marina Laroux | Dianne Brown | Sharyne De Young |
| 2013 | Kaye Bendle | Liz Lee | Dianne Brown | Sharyne De Young |
| 2014 | Kaye Bendle | Liz Lee | Dianne Brown | Sharyne De Young |
| 2015 | Kaye Bendle | Liz Lee | Malcolm Burton | Penny Rowden |
| 2016 | Clive Rowden | Kaye Bendle | Malcolm Burton | Penny Rowden |
| 2017 | Clive Rowden | Jan Standen | Malcolm Burton | Penny Rowden |
| 2018 | Clive Rowden | Jan Standen | Philip Etherington | Penny Rowden |
| 2019 | Clive Rowden | Jan Standen | Philip Etherington | Penny Rowden |
| 2020 | Jan Standen | Raewyn Watene | Philip Etherington | Penny Rowden |
| 2021 | Jan Standen | Raewyn Watene | Jan McGillivray | Carol Hale |
| 2022 | Jan Standen | Dianne Franklyn | Jan McGillivray | Liz Law |
| 2023 | Alan Hoffman | Dianne Franklyn | Jan McGillivray | Philip Etherington |
Declared the rockstar of the 2022 WA Australian of the Year Awards Jan Standen accepted her award, to rambunctious rounds of applause, saying it was for all grandparent carers. She will now leverage this political and PR platform to lobby for financial equality for grandparent carers as part of the Fairer Futures campaign.
Born in Subiaco, Mayor Albert Jacob grew up in Wanneroo and went to Kingsway Christian College. He was a horticulturist before studying at the University of Western Australia and graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Design, and a Masters in Architecture. Mayor Albert Jacob has been a strong supporter of GRGWA we are delighted that he has agreed to become GRGWA’s patron.
To find out more about what guides us download our constitution.
