1944

When Waverley Council decided to include Fran Wootton in their “Recognising our community leaders” project, the title they gave her was: “Saint Fran’. What had led to such a title? Fran Wootton and Rev Clyde Dominish established Norman Andrews House in 1993 as a drop in centre for those struggling with poverty in the Eastern suburbs, especially in Bondi. Named after ‘Normie’ Andrews, who’d lived on the streets in Bondi and was sadly killed in a road accident, the centre still exists today in Roscoe St. It remains under the care of the Chapel by the Sea, which provides its main source of funding, supported by the local council, other organisations and volunteer subscriptions.

The centre provides:

• A safe place to rest during the day Breakfast and lunch provided free, Monday to Friday
• Laundry and shower facilities
• Local telephone calls
• Lockers for storage of personal goods
• Group activities
• Advocacy and referral services
• Counselling services
• Access to a community podiatrist and nurse
• Access to the Homeless Persons’ Legal Service
• Weekly music, art, cooking, fitness and computer skills programs
• One-on-one assistance with job seeking and resume preparation

Its vision aims to provide:

• A safe place in which service users feel accepted and are encouraged to become involved in the development of the service.
• A supportive atmosphere in order to foster a sense of community amongst the service users.
• A link between the homeless and disadvantaged people with other services such as drug and alcohol, health, Centrelink and housing.
• A service that is accessible to men and women of all ethnic and religious backgrounds and sexual preferences, which reflects the diverse nature of the local community.
• Ongoing programs to enrich the lives of the service users and encourage them to take steps in improving their lives and living arrangements.

This vision incorporated many of the practical ways in which Fran Wootton and the Rev Dominish wished to support the vulnerable, while providing them with dignity. No wonder they received so much support from the local community – a support echoed in the words of a plaque erected on the Bondi Promenade by Waverley Council in 2008 as one of a group of plaques “recognising our leaders.”

The plaque reads: ‘Saint Fran’ Frances Wootton OAM established Norman Andrews House as a place for Bondi homeless. A Community Minister dedicated to alleviating poverty, she had dedicated 25 years of service to the Community by 2008. Greatly loved and respected for her commitment to social justice, she has inspired people from all faiths and backgrounds to work together to provide food, shelter and a home for all.

In 2006 she had been awarded an OAM, the citation for which read: Frances Ruth Wootton – For services to the Uniting Church in Australia and to the community through social welfare initiatives in the Bondi area. Reports in June 2014 that the Uniting Church was planning to sell Norman Andrews House and move it to the site of the Chapel led to strong opposition from many in the local community. Although the Chapel itself was closed as a place of worship, the House and the Child centre were retained. Fran Wootton’s Christian vision and example continue to inspire others to lend a helping, welcoming hand to those who find their way to the door of Norman Andrews House. The annals of the House pay tribute to the ways in which the service she started has helped a number of people turn their lives around, while many more have simply been enabled to live.

Courtesy Fairfax Media and the Waverley Library Local Studies Collection.