WHEN Mandurah resident Estelle Anne Russell passed away in 2010, her will stated simply: “I wish a womens’ shelter to be established.”
In May Ms Russell’s wishes were honoured, with her executor and friend Roy Bolton working with Pat Thomas House to translate her assets into purchasing and operating a five-bedroom shelter for women in need and their children.
Mr Bolton said Ms Russel had always been a very generous lady.
“I guess you could say there were some sad parts to her life... there were different times when she felt alone, I suppose, and I do know of a couple of situations where she had nowhere to go.”
He said she had a sense of empathy for other women who went through similar experiences, and wanted to give them a safe place to be.
However, the trust could only provide so much: it could pay for the house, maintenance and bills, but not the food, household and medical supplies, services, and transport Pat Thomas’s clients need.
On Monday the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) announced Pat Thomas House was selected as their Charity of the Year for 2016, meaning they have pledged to raise $20 000 to go towards supplies and services in the Estelleanne Shelter.
CCI chief Deidre Willmott said their members were concerned with issues of gender equity in the Western Australian workforce, from the gender pay gap, to improving opportunities for women in leadership roles, to domestic violence.
“Domestic violence is one of the ultimate gender inequalities that we see women suffer, so it’s important we look at the full range of experiences for women, in order to ensure that they and their children are able to contribute to our community and achieve their own economic independence,” Ms Willmott said.
“Services like Pat Thomas House and the Estelleanne Shelter are critical to giving women and their children those opportunities.”
Pat Thomas House chief Marg Adams said the Estelleanne Shelter along with two transition houses are part of a network set up to assist women in need to return to a healthy, independent and fulfilling life, including finding work and a safe home.
“The clients will come in here, and we do intense work, then we move them into the shelter, they can do 3-6 months… and then, after the shelter they can go into the transitional houses for 3-6 months, so that is really good intense support, and they are supported by our outreach clients,” Ms Adams said.
“Our turnover within the refuge has now doubled… because we can move the clients into the [Estelleanne] shelter, we can bring more in [to the Pat Thomas refuge].”
