St Hilda’s board member retires after 43 years

St Hilda's Services has paid tribute to a long-serving volunteer and board director who has retired.

Mary Meares has been associated with St Hilda's since 1964, and has served as a board member for 43 years, since 1981.

She was honoured at the 2024 AGM at which she remembered her first encounter with St Hilda’s in 1964, the year it was founded. Mary told the meeting: “My Principal, Brendan O’Brien in the Vocational School in Northgate Street asked me to make a donation to a new school from children with a disability called St Hilda’s. This was the first time I heard of St Hilda’s. I was a teacher at the time and little did I know as I gave a few shillings that I myself would need the service for my son in the years ahead.

“This began a long association with St Hilda’s for me as a volunteer, parent and board member over 60 years”.

Chairperson Aidan Hand said it was an honour to acknowledge Mary's long voluntary service to St Hilda’s Services.

“St Hilda’s was founded in 1964 and your involvement in the early years of the development of St Hilda’s and since 1981 as a Board Member sets you apart in terms of volunteers. To this day you have served, 43 years later”.

Aidan told the AGM: “In recognising that service we have to remember that it is not always plain sailing for a service like St Hilda’s and you will be well aware that difficult issues arise which demand difficult board decisions, and it becomes so critical to do what is right for the success of the organisation and all its stakeholders.”

He said Mary had “given wisdom, understanding and support to St Hilda’s and have never wavered in putting the interests of service users and St. Hilda’s above all else when decisions have to be made”.

Since its creation and very modest beginnings in 1964, St. Hilda’s has marked many milestones such as the purchase and development of the Cornamagh site, the purchase of Nuala O’Brien Centre for older service users and Coosan respite such a significant addition to services in recent years. Mary Meares was a critical part of these milestones and so many others, he said.

“Mary, you were there for all of these; being instrumental in ensuring that the organisation kept moving, taking the next step, and as you retire from the board, the organisation now can celebrate a position whereby we provide a range of services to 165 children and adults with varying needs and employing 160 people. By any standard St Hilda’s, as a service to the wider community continues to deliver a lot and it goes without saying, nothing has really changed as there is always a milestone to be accomplished”.

Aidan Hand explained governance and compliance challenges involved in running the service.

“The regulatory aspect requires that there has to be a limit to the period of board service, otherwise we would be happy to have you indefinitely.

“But I am glad to say we are not losing your influence as you wish to continue to support the organisation as a friend and parent.”