Christadelphian Aged Care

18/03/2026

🚗 Born in 1932 in Durban, South Africa, Renee is a remarkable woman who broke barriers as one of the first women of colour to drive in Durban, zipping around in in her little red Alfa Romeo adorned with badges from her worldwide travels.

She was also a dedicated community leader, and was instrumental in fundraising and beginning five preschools for the community.

As a middle child in a family of nine, Renee’s early education was cut short for her safety amid the racial turmoil in South Africa at the time. Yet her passion for learning never faded, as she pursued nursing and later bookkeeping, supporting her retired father’s business.

In 1956, Renee met and married her brother’s friend Derek. Love marriages were not a thing back in 1956 but they were trailblazers, and enjoyed nearly 60 years of happiness before he passed away suddenly.

Renee was the ‘mother’ of Derek’s younger siblings and raised them with lots of love. She organised and married off seven of them! The surviving siblings and their families love and respect her to this day.

Renee had two children of her own, Barney in Cape Town and Sandhya in Sydney. She has six grandchildren and one great-grandson. She read avidly, loved to garden and could name most flowers, was an excellent cook, even for up to 200 people on an open fire in the backyard, and was also an excellent seamstress.

Derek and Renee moved to Sydney in 2010 to be with their daughter and her family. They settled into a routine and were adored by their three granddaughters. They travelled around Australia and made a few overseas trips too. She worked alongside Derek in his trouser manufacturing business, and was chairperson of the Verulam Women’s Circle where she became a strong leader and fundraiser for the community.

Renee moved into Northcourt in 2023 when she needed specialised dementia care, and found comfort and purpose in small acts of kindness and social connection. Renee turned 93 in December 2025 - a life well lived. She’ll always be that strong, educated, well-travelled and articulate, capable woman; a loving, caring mother and grandmother who is very much loved by all. 💖

16/03/2026

🎥✨ Did you see our lovely Courtlands centenarians on Channel 7's Bright Side last night?

There are seven residents who are 100-104 years old, including two in the retirement village and five in aged care.

They all recently came together to celebrate their milestones, and Channel 7 was invited to join them!

Watch the segment below, and make sure you check out our Reel and Stories featuring past and present photos of all our lovely centenarians. 💖

Five residents at Courtlands Village in North Parramatta, all aged 100 or older, celebrate their remarkable milestone.Subscribe and set 🔔 » https://7news.li...

16/03/2026

13/03/2026

♥️ Gayna is a volunteer Pastoral Carer at Maranatha with a beautiful kind and caring nature, and is a wonderful supportive friend to many of our residents.

She helps them navigate the emotional highs and lows life throws at us all including health issues, family matters and concerns, while also supporting them spiritually as they desire it. Her passion is also in assisting our residents living with dementia at Maranatha, and showers them with the love and reassurance they need.

Gayna is an integral part of the Maranatha community as she conveniently lives close by in a lovely Independent Living Unit in Maranatha Village, and provides support to many of her neighbours too. Gayna is a Christadelphian herself and belongs to the Kallangur Ecclesia which meets on site each Sunday.

The staff, residents and greater community at Maranatha greatly appreciate Gayna’s happy, insightful, helpful support. We are blessed to have Gayna on our team.

Thank you Gayna! ♥️

09/03/2026

🎶 Ashburn House has introduced a new sing-along music program. Residents play the piano as others sing to well-known tunes. This has become a much-loved community connection hour. The residents relax, sing, and laugh and are full of joy as they participate.

04/03/2026

"To me, nursing is deeply rewarding. It is about supporting people when they are at their most vulnerable, offering comfort, dignity, and understanding during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

My name is Shristi. I was born and raised in the flatlands of Nepal and moved to Australia in 2017 with my husband, where I continued to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. I am mum of three beautiful girls.

Nursing has always been my chosen path, inspired by a family deeply rooted in the profession. Growing up surrounded by their dedication and compassion shaped my values and motivated me to build a career centred on caring for others. From a very young age, I expressed this passion for service by choosing to celebrate my birthdays through acts of kindness, offering food and warmth to those experiencing homelessness. Being able to help those in need and make a meaningful difference truly fulfils my purpose.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading books, going to nice cafés and parks and doing activities with my daughters. These moments help me recharge and maintain balance, allowing me to bring empathy, patience, and positivity into my life."

Thanks for sharing your story Shristi! 💖

02/03/2026

🍪 Flashback to when Maranatha had some messy fun baking biscuits at the end of last year! They ceurtainly put in a mammoth effort, making more than 100 jam drops to share around. Compliments to the chefs!

25/02/2026

Cricket lover, lawyer, and man of faith Santhiapillai, or Charles as he is known, was born in Northern Sri Lanka in a family of four brothers.

He had what he describes as a normal childhood, interested in cricket and tennis which he played socially. Charles studied and earned his Law Degree in Sri Lanka where he successfully practiced for many years, gaining the respect of his colleagues.

He moved to Australia in the mid 1980s, and continued his career in law after first proving his qualifications and passing Australian tests for Barristers. Charles worked for the Department of Fair Trading where he continued until his retirement.

Charles feels blessed to have been able to share his life with Assumpta. Growing up in the same village, their friendship grew as they shared an interest in law and worked together in the Attorney General’s office. Relationships between colleagues are not generally approved of, however for Charles and Assumpta there was an exception. Both were well respected in their field.

When in Australia, Assumpta worked in the banking industry until she became unwell. Charles cared for her at home and then supported her while she was in a nursing home for 12 years. This, combined with a health challenge of his own, led Charles to assess his priorities and retire early to spend more time with his wife.

His Catholic faith was instrumental in being able to help him face the challenges in his life. Charles continues to have a strong connection, attending services at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta. Charles has enjoyed travelling to many countries including England, Canada, Southeast Asia and returned to Sri Lanka last year to visit with friends and family.

Charles notes that “You still can’t beat Sri Lanka. It is the best country in the world”, attributing this to the climate, people, food and culture generally. He does acknowledge that Australia is a close second as his new chosen home country, a fact demonstrated by his barracking for Australia in the cricket! Charles continues to have a great interest in cricket, enjoying the history, statistics and characters in the game. Although he no longer attends the games in person he can enjoy the good views and commentary that come with the comfort of watching cricket on the TV.

Thanks for sharing your story Charles! 💖

23/02/2026

🌱 Gardening is a favourite pastime at Ashburn House, and residents love getting their hands dirty by planting, mulching, trimming and watering in our beautiful atrium.

The act of gardening as a group sparks conversations about past flowerbeds, veggie patches and fruit trees they have tended throughout their lives. 💚

18/02/2026

Marj’s faith journey has been closely connected to her life at Maranatha, where she has been a valued part of the community for more than two decades.

Marj was born into a large Christadelphian family, deeply rooted in faith. Her mother, Myrtle, was an 'Arthur', with her grandfather Albert Arthur being the first in their family to join the Christadelphian community.

Growing up, Marj lived on various farms around Kingaroy and Coolabunia, where her father, Fred Allgood, worked as a share farmer. She fondly remembers attending the Coolabunia Ecclesia alongside many cousins and relatives nearby. When her family lived on a more remote farm, members of the ecclesia would visit once a month to hold Memorial Meetings, as traveling to the hall was too difficult for them.

Marj speaks warmly of her mother Myrtle’s strong spiritual influence. Myrtle arranged for Sunday school lessons from the Adelaide ecclesias to be sent out to their farm for Marj and her five siblings. These lessons were a cherished part of Marj’s childhood and laid a solid foundation for her faith. She was baptised at 23, in 1961.

Marj married David, and together they raised five children. Sadly, David passed away when Marj was just 50. Later, she married Merv Green and moved to New Zealand’s North Island to live with him. Eventually, they returned to Australia and settled in a unit at Cassia Court at Maranatha in June 2001. They enjoyed many happy years together before Merv also passed away. During these difficult times, Marj found great comfort in leaning on God.

For over a decade, Marj generously volunteered within the Village community. After more than 23 years in her unit, she moved into Maranatha's aged care community in December 2024. Throughout her life, Marj has firmly believed that God guides her path, and having God and Jesus by her side has been a profound source of peace and strength.

16/02/2026

💕 Love was in the air last week as Courtlands in North Parramatta celebrated Valentine's Day with an Italian themed lunch for their special couples.

11/02/2026

👋 My name is Dikshya. Working in aged care makes me happy because I get to help others and make their lives a little easier when caring for them.

When I spend time with residents they remind me of my grandparents. I like to build trusting relationship with residents and get to know about them as individuals. I’m a very caring and compassionate person who loves helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives. I really enjoy the friendly and supportive environment.

I’m from a village called Baglung in Nepal, and I am from a Hindu religious background. I like to visit temples in my leisure time because it makes me feel like I’m in my home country. I’m the only child of my parents and I hold them very dear to me.

When I am not at work, I enjoy reading books and watching movies. I am currently studying in TAFE. My plan is to complete my studies and work as a registered nurse in future.

I came to Australia in 2022, and I really enjoy working and studying in a culturally diverse environment. I am very thankful to my manager for giving me the chance to work here.

Thanks for sharing your story Dikshya! ❤️