Resident Birthdays
Birthday well wishes for this month are extended to:-
Barbara @ Lot 7
Peter @ Lot 19
Liam @ Lot 30
Leanne @ Lot 41
Peter @ Lot 45
Terry @ Lot 46
Roger @ Lot 47
Mary @ Lot 67
Dave @ Lot 72
Dianne @ Lot 86
Sue @ Lot 95
Sylvia @ Lot 100
Funny of the Month
Quote of the Month
Welcome to our Champion Community
Sue and Gordon
Welcome to Sue and Gordon who have recently moved into Lot 95 at 5 Tradition Road. They have been in the village for 5 months while their house was being built so they are now pleased to be settling into their permanent home.
Sue and Gordon initially met at the age of 12 when Gordon broke a window playing backyard cricket near his home in Birmingham, England and ran to the road Sue lived in with his friends – then he saw “this vision of loveliness”(Gordon’s words). As they lived in neighbouring suburbs they often met and kept contact with groups of mutual friends. They had holidays in Spain in their late teens and got married at the age of 21 and have now been married 54 years.
They settled in Tamworth, in the outer area of Birmingham for 5 years where Gordon worked as a billiard table fitter and moved around the various clubs in the area. Later they moved to Surrey due to Gordon’s work for over 3 years then to Bristol where he was building pool tables including those for professional competitions and exhibitions. Meanwhile Sue worked as a secretary.
They had 2 children, Daniel and Victoria who were born in England.
They came to Australia in 1980 as Sue’s parents and grandparents had retired in Perth. Sue has many tales of her grandparents who originally came to Australia in the 1920s and their experiences both in Pemberton and back in Birmingham. Sue had also visited with her sister in 1978 so had a glimpse of Australian life at that time.
Sue and Gordon and the children settled in a house in Mount Nasura, Kelmscott with a large garden and swimming pool where they lived for over 40 years
Gordon was fortunate and got a job within 2 days of coming to Perth building billiard tables and subsequently with pool tables.
The children attended Kelmscott Primary school and were involved in various activities, Daniel played football in Armadale and Victoria was involved in Calisthenics and both children played T ball.
Later Gordon became a courier and Sue also worked in the office where they both remained for many years until retirement.
Their daughter Victoria lives in Gosnells and has a daughter, Elvie aged 10 years and a son, Rhys aged 6 who they are able to see regularly.
Their son, Daniel is a teacher and has spent many years teaching abroad including Thailand, Saudi-Arabia, Korea and is now in Beijing, China.
They like the friendliness of the Village and liken it to communities of small country towns. They are content to have a smaller area to look after and a relaxed lifestyle.
Ken & Maureen
Welcome to Ken Cameron and Maureen Dacey at Lot 92, 39 Delight Way
Maureen was born in Como (no not Lake Como Italy!) WA and spent her formative years growing up in Redcliffe, then on to Albany after getting married to Ted (dec’d).
Herself and Ted moved to Gosnells where she lived for 30 years prior to coming into the village. She has a son and a daughter.
During her working life she had a variety of jobs mainly in office jobs and then into nursing at Royal Perth Hospital and the Children’s Hospital and also at the Blind Institute.
Her jobs included Secretary at a Lawyer’s office including court work and as a Medical Secretary.
Maureen enjoys knitting and likes doing jigsaw puzzles.
Maureen and her late husband and some wonderful trips away including a cruise on the Gemini and an unforgettable experience of travelling on narrow roads in Thailand to visit a mountain village and having a sheer drop on the side of the coach into the valley below. Maureen describes it as quite a heart-stopping experience.
Unfortunately her husband Ted had dementia and passed away.
Ken originally came from Cairns, Queensland. He went to school in Brisbane then started at University but left and went to Mount Isa before trying the armed forces in the army for 6 months before deciding it was not his chosen path in life.
In the 1970’s he married an Indian lady Pamela who had 2 sons and they were married for 46 years. They had a daughter, Zelda and a son and lived in the Perth area. Ken had a working life with a multiple of jobs including driving trucks then in the retail trade with a wool shop in Forrest Place then a health food shop in Carrillon then onto roofing for commercial buildings, a full and varied career, They lived in Wattle Grove for many years until his wife was ill and diagnosed with Alzeimers disease. After this he lived with his daughter for 2 years.
The most positive aspect of their story was their meeting through their joint involvement with their partners at the Alzeimers unit at Amaroo.
Their friendship increased so that they decided to move into the Village together. They went around various areas looking for housing and found the bidding war for houses was very difficult and harsh. They came to the Village and love the houses here as well as finding the residents they meet being very friendly so they are very content to have chosen Champion Lifestyle as their forever home.
Ann & Brian
Arrived in Australia 32 years ago from Derbyshire England with 3 young daughters & 5 suitcases, initially residing in Bibra Lake for some years.
Since they arrived in Western Australia Brian has worked within different industries until he retired a few years ago.
You will see him walking most mornings their 2 Cavalier King Charlies spaniels dogs Frank & Rosie (both ex breeding dogs that are now also retired).
Ann remains working part-time in Nurse Education with a training College in Perth as well also undertaking clinical support within Home & Community Care, & within the NDIS programme.
Their 3 daughters are all grown up, with their eldest daughter currently enjoying a sea change & studying Vet Nursing, their second daughter studied Environmental Science & Marine Biology at Murdoch University & has given them a granddaughter ‘Thea’ a little while ago. Ann and Brian aptly named Nanna and Grumper enjoy spending time with her 1 day a week for Nanna & Grumpar day, while their daughter goes to work. Their third daughter has 2 children & is now in her 2nd year at Notre Dame University doing a Nursing Degree. Ann and Brian are fortunate that the 3 daughters and families all live close by within the Byford/ Cannington area.
Ann and Brian decided they wished to be closer to family & Ann’s work location, so moved back into this area to Champion Lakes, having lived also in Kelmscott, then later Harrisdale, & then in Baldivis for past 3 years.
Ann makes special mention that the drive up & down the Freeway to work will not be missed…….
The safety of living back in a village community where people care & look out for each other, (having lived in a few different small villages when they lived & worked in Derbyshire England). In Buxton in the high Peak, to a very well-known historical village called Eyam where the plague arrived in 1665 & the village cut them self’s off from the rest of England where some family ancestors lived & died at that time.
They are looking forward to a quieter life here at Champion Lakes, with no basket balls games in the street, or cricket balls hitting the garage door……. Ann is wanting to find the time to get back to doing some more resin work, & candle making.
So say “Hello” when you see them walking dogs Frank & Rosie, they look forward to meeting everyone.
Lois & her son Alan
Lois was born and grew up in East Fremantle. She worked at the Melville shire in the building surveyor’s office until her marriage.
She married an Englishman and they built a house on a block adjacent to her parents poultry farm on North Lake Road. Lois has a daughter and a son who grew up in that area and her husband worked on the family farm.
They later moved to Jandakot and had a farm where they had horses (trotters) and enjoyed riding the horses in the bush.
Unfortunately Lois’s husband, Roy was in a boating accident 20 years ago at Port Hedland when Lois and her friend were rescued but Roy was lost at sea.
They then had a farm in Mardella – Serpentine where they had sheep and trotting horses and grew hay. They did quite well with the trotters and Lois drove some of the trotters in the ladies’ races. (At that time ladies were not allowed to compete in the men’s races!!).
They moved to Byford 2 years ago and had a large block and 4-bedroom house. Lois’ daughter Sharon lives in Armadale and her granddaughter lives in Kalgoorlie and has 3 girls & 2 boys.
Alan was brought up and attended primary school in Jandakot then to Hamilton Hill High School in his latter years. He has always worked on the family properties.
He now enjoys going for walks around the village and surrounding areas with the backways and bush areas.
Lois loves horses and enjoys lawn bowls and belongs to Byford Bowling Club. Although she has not had time recently she is looking forward to getting back onto the greens and bowling soon.
She hates housework but loves gardening and is enjoying establishing her new garden. As Alan says she enjoys “Talking to the house plants”!
Our 5th Anniversary Party
Dog park, caravan parking and community garden upgrade
Dog park , caravan park and veggi garden relocation projects now completed!!
There is an abundance of oranges and other fruit trees to enjoy just in time for our green thumbs to enjoy the change of season.
We are also very happy with the additional amenity the new caravan and dog park enclosures bring the village as we continue to expand our facilities into the future. Exciting times
Village Community Jigsaw
Village Jigsaw project is certainly a winner. A picture tells a 1000 words. To those contributing effort and
enjoying the zen time well done. Progress is Good!!! The first puzzle has been completed and a new one is already underway. Come along and have a go.
“Where the smiles are genuine and the coffee’s always on”
