Lifetime of service sees Delys Forrest awarded OAM

The Order of Australia Medal award for Delys Forest celebrates a lifetime dedicated to volunteering and community service. Mrs Forest said that she has always been passionate about giving back to the community. “I’m very humbled by this award, you do a lot of things in life to help people and you don’t think about it, I just didn’t expect an award like this,” she said. “I used to make jam, a lot of jam and I sold it to raise money for the Flying Doctor.” In a long and varied volunteering career Mrs Forest estimates she has raised about $100,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. As a member of the Liberal Party of Australia Mrs Forest was WA vice-president for two years, and a State councillor for 10 years, president of the party’s women’s Forrest division for four years, president of the Busselton branch for four years and president of the Forrest division for two years. Despite retiring she remains incredibly busy, and continues to give her time to a number of groups and organisations. A passion for history has seen Mrs Forest working at the Busselton Museum since 1997, where even today she continues to host visitors and cater for the regular morning teas. “If there is any event that needs catering for, I usually do this, people seem to like my scones,” she said. When school tours arrive at the museum, Mrs Forest draws on her experience as a dairy farmer and provides a hands-on butter making workshop for the students. “Growing up on the farm in Capel my sister and I used to make the butter for the family every Saturday morning, it took three hours to turn in the summer,” she said. Mrs Forest also created and helps maintain the memorial garden in the Butter Factory Museum grounds and continues to work as a volunteer gardener at the Busselton Hospice. She has also been heavily involved with the Busselton Historical Society, Busselton Oral History Group, and is the former chair of the Friends of Wonnerup House. Working with the National Trust of Western Australia Mrs Forest was instrumental in driving the work to restore Wonnerup House, and was on the management committee for 18 years.. For the National Trust of Western Australia Mrs Forest held the position of vice president for four years, as well as being on their council for nine years, and the asset management committee for four years. “I’m 87 now so I’ve retired from making all that jam, but there is still plenty for me to do,” she said.