Michaela Meade
Footscray’s iconic parenting centre Tweddle has celebrated its 100th birthday.
A new website has been launched to commemorate the baby, child and family support organisation’s milestone.
Tweddle was born in 1920 out of a desire to stop significant infant mortality, malnutrition and infection affecting thousands of Victorian babies – an issue still at the heart of the organisation.
Tweddle chief executive Jacquie O’Brien said it was truly humble beginnings for the organisation and its clients.
“In the early 1920’s when [Tweddle] commenced, mums and dads would ride their bikes or walk for miles pushing huge prams to get to Tweddle,” she said.
“Babies were left on the doorstep by desperate families.
“Tweddle nurses would shake tins over at Whitten Oval at half-time [of football games] to raise desperately-needed funds.
“Today, everyone that works for Tweddle is a voice for social change.
“It starts with secure babies, this in turn creates a generation of strong families … we all benefit from safe communities that stem from families that feel supported, resourced and resilient.”
Altona historian Jim Hevey has his own personal connection to Tweddle..
Having been born 11 weeks premature, Jim was not expected to survive the night and was taken to the Footscray Tweddle Baby Hospital.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I owe my survival to the treatment and expertise of the medical staff and nurses at that time,” he said last week.
Details and donations: www.tweddlecentenary.org.au
