This Remarkable Woman of Girl Guides WA is Pat Goodheart. Here is Pat’s  story.

As a Mother of a potential Brownie on the waiting list, I started my Guiding career in 1965 as a Unit Helper with Ida Hetherington and the 1st Applecross Guides.   Ida was so enthusiastic and such a good mentor that it was not hard to keep going.  I went on to become Captain of 1st Applecross, Division Commissioner of Jandakot, a Member of the Executive Committee, Assistant State Commissioner and then in 1983 was elected State Commissioner.

From 1983 onwards, guiding became for me more than just an organisation in the local area, it became Worldwide as I represented Australia at the 75th Anniversary Celebrations , the Opening of the World Bureau in the UK and then was part of the Australian delegation at the World Conference in Kenya in 1987.

In 1989 I was appointed a member of the newly formed Pax Lodge Committee and remained there both as a member and then Chairman until 1999. Exciting, often frustrating but wonderful times as we saw the opening and growth of the World Centre in London.

I have been fortunate to have attended World Conferences in Kenya, Singapore, Denmark, Canada and Dublin all of which have enabled me to meet with so many Guides from all over the World.

During my term as State Commissioner in 1985 Guides WA shared a Birthday with the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and we wanted to celebrate 75 years by giving them a Birthday gift.  We needed to come up with something different.  An administrator from the hospital had seen Radio Lollipop in the UK and it was mentioned as a possible link with the Girl Guides to raise funds to get it started.   I was also able to visit the Radio Lollipop Studio at Carshalton in Surrey to see it in action –  it was marvellous.

A Committee was formed with representatives from the Girl Guides and PMH and planning commenced.  The Guides pledged to raise $25,000 to enable it to get started, a tall order but we were determined.  Everyone had small money boxes and they were filling rapidly by extraordinary fund raising ventures.   The target was reached and exceeded and Radio Lollipop – the first one outside of the United Kingdom was launched right here in Perth on 3rd November 1985.

An excerpt from a local Community News 12.11.85 –

The World’s most Expensive Lollipop was delivered to a bank in West Perth last week.  It was a cheque for more than $35000 made out in the form of a giant lollipop.  The money had been raised by the Girl Guides in WA for Radio Lollipop, the new closed circuit radio station for the kids at Princess Margaret Hospital.

It was a wonderful achievement and gift from the Girl Guides.   It is still a favourite to this day and Radio Lollipop is most grateful for our ongoing support.  They are now in many other Countries but Perth was the first!

Nowadays I still keep in touch with my many guiding friends throughout the World, through Skype, Facebook and other mediums, a far cry from our Air Mail letters and Fax machines.   I am an Honorary Member of WAGGGS and Australia and a Life member of Guides Western Australia and Radio Lollipop and of course a member of Trefoil.

Thank goodness I was coerced into becoming a Unit helper all those years ago, I would have missed out on so much fun and lasting friendships and experiences that could never have been imagined.

Story supplied by Ann Miller.

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