Today is the final day of National Volunteers Week, a time when we honour and acknowledge the hard work of our volunteers, who contribute so much to local communities.

In NSW, the government is focused on delivering a range of targeted initiatives aimed at supporting and promoting volunteering to enrich the lives of volunteers, strengthen local communities and benefit NSW.  

Hidden Treasures is a NSW Government initiative created to recognise and elevate the invaluable volunteer efforts of women across regional, rural and remote NSW communities. 

Ninety-one women across the state were recognised at a ‘Thank you NSW Volunteers’ event in Wagga Wagga this week, hosted by the NSW Rural Women’s Network.

One of the ninety-one women to be recognised and named a Hidden Treasure was Lismore's Ros Fleetwood.

Ros has held the position of Lismore Group Leader of the NSW Branch of the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) for much of her 30 years of volunteering for the association.

Ros was nominated by the NSW Branch of the ABA. She is a humble person who is keen to promote the benefits of the ABA rather than take the accolades from a life of volunteering.

"I enjoy my weekly shift volunteering on the national Breastfeeding Helpline and talking with mums and their support people from all around Australia."

"It's a privilege to share their breastfeeding stories and to empower and support them to meet their breastfeeding goals. The Helpline is free to call 24/7 on 1800 686 268," Ros explains, not ashamed to take the opportunity to promote an organisation she is so passionate about.

"I’ve attended Lismore Group meetings for 36 years, firstly, as a new mother seeking breastfeeding help and friendship and now as a qualified volunteer supporting others. Face-to-face gatherings allow for openness and honesty about the realities of life with babies and young children. Lifelong friendships are formed."

"We hold Connect & Share gatherings on the second Friday of each month at the Goonellabah Community Centre. These gatherings are free for all mothers, babies, young children, and their support people. You don't need to have breastfeeding concerns, and you don't need to be breastfeeding to join us."

"We have recently started hosting Chat & Play sessions in Pop Denison Park, Ballina, on the fourth Wednesday of the month."

"Many callers to the breastfeeding Helpline are surprised to learn that we are volunteers. We don’t need to be paid for the work we do. Our reward is in knowing that we have helped someone. Helping others is widely recognised as a cure for times when our spirits are low."

"This year’s National Volunteer Week theme is ‘Something for everyone’. This is truly the case in ABA. Whatever your skills or interests, you can find a role as a volunteer in our association."

"Some volunteers complete the Cert IV in Breastfeeding Education and become breastfeeding counsellors and educators. Some support group activities to keep local groups open, while others join national working groups to participate in projects which support breastfeeding in the Australian community."

"Whatever your available time, one-off or ongoing, there is a volunteer job you could do to support breastfeeding. Volunteering to support breastfeeding is not just about helping families, it’s helping the planet. Breastfeeding is important for the health of the mother and child, it’s easiest on family finances and it needs minimal resources."

To find out more about volunteering with ABA visit the volunteer information on the website https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/volunteering.

To find out more about Lismore Group, email [email protected] or visit the webpage https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/local/nsw/lismore-nsw. To keep informed of group events, you can follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aba.lismore/.

As we celebrate a local Hidden Treasure, nominations for the 2024 Honour Roll are now open, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/women-nsw/rural-womens-network/hidden-treasures-honour-roll.