Churchill Fellows National Convention Brisbane - June 2006
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the First Churchill Fellows
CFAQ are indebted to a number of organisations who played a pivotal role in the presentation of the Convention
- The Lord Mayor, the Brisbane City Council and the Museum of Brisbane for their input to the 40th Anniversary Celebrations and Convention
- Airservices Australia
- Milpera State High School
- Queensland Art Gallery
- Queensland Museum
- Queensland Performing Arts Complex
- Queensland Police Service – Museum
- Roma Street Parkland for the Amphitheatre
- State Emergency Services
- The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
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Sean Leahy – Convention Logo
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CFAQ Planning Committee – Jane Virtue Convention Coordinator; Jim O’Donnell, President; Sharyn Hall, Vice President; Robyn Potter, Treasurer; John Stafford, Secretary; Noela O’Donnell; Gladys Busch; Margaret Toohey.
The Convention Program
 FRIDAY 9 JUNE, Lord Mayor’s Civic Reception, Brisbane City Hall
SATURDAY 10 JUNE, Workplace Visits
Airservices Australia
Queensland Museum
Queensland Performing Arts Centre Museum
Stained Glass Windows
Queensland Police Museum
Queensland Art Gallery
Convention Gala Dinner, at Tattersalls Club
SUNDAY 11 JUNE, Roma Street Parkland Churchill Fellows Festival
MONDAY 12 JUNE Breakfast at the River Canteen, Southbank, Gardens walk
TUESDAY 13 JUNE, Milpera State High School
Comments from CFAQ President, Jim O’Donnell
The Churchill Fellows Association has just hosted the 3rd National Churchill Convention here in Brisbane and what a great success it was over the four day June long weekend.
The Lord Mayor’s Civic Reception at City Hall on the Friday night was well attended and gave us all a chance to meet our interstate colleagues.
Visit to the Police Museum
The workplace visits on Saturday proved enormously popular with the only complaint being that one was not able to visit all the places on the agenda
 The dinner at Tattersalls Club that evening was a great night and the Governor, who attended, was piped in by our very own Doug Thoresen.
 The highlight of the evening was the entertainment provided by our own musicians - Warwick Adeney, Robert Davidson, Jason Redman and Sue Witham. What great talent we have within our ranks. I never thought I would hear the bagpipes playing with such an ensemble but it happened and how lucky were we to be there to enjoy every moment of it.
 The Roma Street Parklands was the venue for our local Fellows to showcase their talents and this they did with gusto and enthusiasm. The lunch served by a local catering company, under a number of marquees was first class and we also enjoyed a glass of champagne or wine. A great day was had by all.
The last main function was the buffet breakfast at the River Canteen Restaurant at Southbank on the Monday morning and people are still talking about the great presentation by Andrew Borrell, research scientist. This was followed by a walk across to the Botanical Gardens, a fitting climax to our Convention.
On Tuesday a group of us then went to Milpera School where Adele Rice showcased her students and their work
The favourable comments received from local and interstate Fellows have been overwhelming in praise for the organisers and presenters of this Convention.
I would like to take this opportunity of publicly thanking our Planning Committee for the excellent work done by them over a 2 year period to ensure that the Convention was the success it turned out to be and thanks also to all Fellows to took part in the event.
Reviews and Comments from Visiting Fellows
From Myree Harris RSJ (2002/2 VIC Dual Diagnosis: Mental Illness and Substance Abuse.)
 Visit to Airservices Australia, Host Matthew Shepherd (2005 Bruce Byers Fellowship for Air Traffic Control Training.)
On Saturday 10th June, 20 Fellows gathered at King George Square and boarded a minibus for the Air Traffic Control Facility at Brisbane airport.
We were met by Matt Shepherd, who, with his colleague Jenny Layther, explained procedures for air traffic control throughout Australia and its environs, a function performed mainly by the Brisbane and Melbourne centers. Australia is responsible for the largest geographic area of all control divisions in the world.
We had the privilege of visiting the control centre and seeing controllers at work, guiding aircraft on routes into in and out of Brisbane and Sydney and other centers as well as high level overflying traffic from Papua New Guinea to parts of Micronesia and Oceania.
 Matt Shepherd’s Fellowship studied refresher training for air traffic controllers. This involves training and assessment in essential competencies infrequently or rarely used, including flight emergency response and aerodrome emergency operations. To overcome controllers’ reluctance to retrain, Jenny showed a video they use entitled “178 Seconds”. In simulation experiments, this was the time it took for pilots of light planes, lost in cloud, to perish. In contrast, she played a real life example of radio support given to one such pilot, which enabled him to find his way out of cloud and land. Such stimuli encourage controllers to use simple, clear messages to calm and support pilots in crisis.
This was a most inspiring example of the way a Churchill Fellowship can enable someone to contribute powerfully to the saving of life and renewed motivation of staff in the crucial area of air safety.
From Mary Vidler (1978 VIC Parent Guidance, Pre School Deaf Children)
 I would like to register our thanks and appreciation for the fabulous time my husband Denis and I had in Brisbane. Obviously a lot of thought had gone into the planning & I was very impressed with how smoothly everything went.
First of all, thanks to Jane. A lovely, friendly Convener. Well Done !
Our visits to the various venues were most enjoyable, enlightening and informative. What an absolute eye-opener our visit to Airservices Australia. Matt was sensational and sooooo interesting, I think I could have stayed all day. I don't think I will complain about my plane being late ever again !
Our visit to Police Museum and Communications was another informative event. It is great to see and hear how all of these areas work. The Museum itself and the Court Room Session terrific. (especially as I knew someone from Ocean Island, where the scene from the murder was set )
 Our visit to Roma Street Parkland, with the Exhibition and the various Fellows speaking, plus the beautiful Qld Youth Choir was very much enjoyed. Lunch was Yummy,
Monday morning breakfast, the fantastic speakers, the walk through the beautiful gardens were all terrific. More information to take home !! We are grateful to Noela for picking us up in the city and taking us to Milpera State High School on Tuesday morning. (We would never have found it by ourselves) Adele is such an enthusiastic person. What an impressive school & what a Service to our Community !
The Gala Dinner was another entertaining event. The musicians were fabulous. I am most envious of the person who snared the wonderful, porcelain bust of Winston Churchill as a child. How talented is the Doll Lady,  Gladys.
I NEVER fail to be impressed with what other Fellows have done & how much this wonderful country of Australia has benefited by their Fellowships. Hopefully, I will be able to attend conventions for many years to come.
WELL DONE to the planning committee and all who had a hand in this convention. A BIG THANK YOU.
From Rhyl Hinwood (1986 QLD Sculpture)
The Convention was a wonderful success and you are to be congratulated for that along with the other members of your committee. Thankyou from Rob and I. Although he was not well enough to attend Rob was keen to hear about all of the events as they happened.
From Michele Juratowitch (2003 QLD Counselling for Gifted Children)
 Thank you so much for organizing such a wonderful weekend. It was delightful to catch up with a number of people I had already met and to meet new Fellows. The whole programme was fantastic and I realize that it must have been a terrific amount of work for all of you. The welcome, the displays, the presentations, the dinner were all great and I wanted to thank you for of your efforts over many, many months to get everything in place. Tim and I really enjoyed the events and everyone else that I spoke to was thrilled as well.
Bill Park, Patron of the WCMT
First of all thank you and the Fellows for the invitation to Lesley and me to attend both the Lord Mayor's Reception and the Convention Gala Dinner as guests of the Association.
 I treasure my honorary membership of the Association and both of us enjoy the opportunities to meet up again with those who have been awarded Churchill Fellowships since its inception.
Second to congratulate you and your team for an outstanding effort in running the Third National Convention so well. The Gala Dinner was one of the best functions we have attended over many years.
The third thing I wish to say is that it is still the case as it was when I was on the Selection Committee that after an evening with Churchill Fellows one goes home with a high optimism for the future.
From Murray Miller (1971 NZ Preservation of Library and Archival Material)
Congratulations and Thank You, Churchill Fellows’ Association of Queensland Team for a really great 3rd Churchill Fellows’ National Convention.
 You have set a standard that will be difficult for other States and Territories to better.
Special thanks to Sharyn Hall, for the most beautiful Lucky Door Prize we have ever been privileged to win and to Ruth Stoneley and Michele Juratowitch, both of whom gave us helpful advise, support and friendship.
How about the morning visit to the Police Museum and Police Communications Room.? It was a real eye-opener.
And our hosts at the QPAC Museum Centre, Gladys Busch and Michael Marendy. Thanks to both of you for a most fascinating and very rewarding afternoon. Those who didn’t attend really missed something special.
Sunday at Roma Street Parkland was brilliant, and all who participated deserve our grateful thanks for helping make it a really great celebration of the diversity of skills, crafts and talents of Queensland’s Churchill Fellows.
From Brian Lucas (2002 NSW Church Media Relations)
 I am now back in the Canberra cold and just a brief note to thank you and all the committee for such a wonderful weekend. I learnt so much and met some very interesting people. I feel so much richer for the experience.
From Ian McKay (2002 QLD Online Learning)
Just a note to congratulate you both and your committee on your hardwork organising a very enjoyable weekend. Well done to all.
From Paul Tys (CEO WCMT)
Congratulations on an excellent Churchill Fellows’ National Convention. I thought the organisation, the attention to detail and the variety and quality of what you offered was outstanding and we thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and thought it most worthwhile. The work that you and your team put into the Convention must have been extraordinary but the effort certainly paid a handsome dividend! Overall, a great success and a wonderful example for the next State!
 From Gerry Cummins (2002 QLD Stained Glass Restoration)
We would both like to thank you all for your amazing efforts of time and resources which you lavished on the convention. We dips our lids to you!
Photographs
Norman Owens, Meg Byers, Gladys Busch |
