Norm
Norm arrived in Sydney as a young migrant in 1960 and witnessed life’s struggles firsthand. A quiet observer who has lived a varied and interesting life, Norm supports causes that help others navigate hardship and find friendship.
Norm
Having arrived in Sydney as an eighteen-year-old migrant in 1960, I drifted, like many teenagers, to Kings Cross. I met many people, some living everyday lives and others living well outside the law. While many lived comfortably, others struggled to survive.
Drugs were available in the 1960s, but users had to know where to find them. I was shocked the first time I saw heroin being sold openly in Earl Place in 1970. I was vaguely aware of the Wayside Chapel but had no direct contact with them.
I was out of Sydney throughout the 1980s and 1990s. When I returned in the early 2000s, I was dismayed to see the increased number of people who were struggling and became impressed by the positive role played by Wayside in offering friendship either before or while offering practical help. I don’t remember precisely when I began donating, but it simply feels like the right thing to do.
There’s little I can do to help people overcome the difficulties they face but donating money to help the work of people who can supply the required friendship and practical support seems the least I can do to show my gratitude for what has been a varied and interesting life. Continuing this beyond my death by leaving money in my Will just seems a natural extension – the challenges won’t disappear. The process of signing up was straightforward. I don’t particularly want to leave a legacy except the hope that Wayside can continue well into the future.
