Young-at-heart quilter sews seeds of kindness in Gloucester

WITH few wrinkles, always neatly dressed, and with a bounce in her step, few people would guess Gloucester’s Audrey Gerrard turns 93 this month.

Gerrard has practised and taught yoga for many years and still exercises daily to keep her body supple, while her passion for quilting has kept her mind active and clear.

She first began sewing clothes in her twenties for her five children.

Gerrard’s husband Frank worked two jobs to provide for the family. She worked at the RSL club and later at Avon Valley Inn, where she was respected as a gun barmaid.

The couple later owned a fish and chip shop, turning it into a successful business selling cooked and fresh seafood.

“Only when I gave up working in 1988 did I have time for sewing as a hobby,” she said.

“I’ve patched-worked almost every day since.”

Over the years, Gerrard has made and donated 11 quilts to the Calvary Mater Hospital and two to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle to raise money for equipment.

One of the John Hunter quilts was made in memory of her son-in-law Brian Maurer. Valued at $5600 by Quilting NSW, it fetched $8500, the money used to buy portable life-saving machines for the Westpac Helicopter Service.

She’s also a member of the Gloucester Patchwork group, which has donated many quilts for local families, flood relief victims, and the local nursing home.

“I’m so happy that my donations helped to save lives and gave back to my community,” Gerrard said.

Always eager to learn new techniques, at 77 she started silk ribbon embroidery classes at Bulahdelah with Helen Dafter.

Her latest creation is a silk ribbon embroidered crazy patchwork quilt for her granddaughter, which had been valued at $7575 by Quilting NSW.

Despite her impending birthday this month, Audrey Gerrard has no plans to put down her quilting needles.

“I’ll  keep quilting until I physically can’t do it anymore!”

By Kim TEOH