‘Marvellous Millie’ receives Order of Australia medal

Mrs Andrews, who turned 100 this year, received the award from Governor-General Peter Cosgrove behalf of Her Majesty the Queen at Parliament house in Melbourne last week.

It all began back in 1945 when Mrs Andrew offered to look after her friend’s son who had a disability, while her friend was in hospital.

As the boy had cerebral palsy, his mother often needed to take him to the children’s hospital. It was there that other mothers learnt of this ‘Marvellous Millie’ who offered to look after her son when she needed a break.

Soon Mrs Andrew was receiving dozens of calls from weary mothers of children with disabilities who were calling out for her help.

“Sometimes I had five or six children staying at my house while their mothers took much needed breaks” says Mrs Andrew.

It got to the point where Mrs Andrew had so many children to look after that she needed more space. She connected with the Footscray Lions club who helped her raise enough money to build a purpose built centre in Seddon.

After tireless fundraising involving rattling tins outside the football club, bingo and fates, Mrs Andrew raised enough money to gradually pay for speech therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists to help the children.

“We even got the kids to do some packaging work, it wasn’t much but at least they could earn a few shillings. There wasn’t any government assistance in those days so we had to raise the money ourselves” Mrs Andrews says.

Mrs Andrew had children at the centre five days per week. After raising enough funds to buy a bus for the centre, the local fire brigade heard of the wonderful work she was doing for families in the area and the firemen picked up the children from their homes in the morning and dropped them home at the end of the day.

When Mrs Andrew retired after 35 years there were 80 children and their families being looked after by ‘Marvellous Millie’ at the centre. The organisation which is now known as ‘Scope Chislon Centre’, (formerly known as the Footscray Spastic Children’s Centre) still operates supporting children and adults with disabilities in the community.

Mrs Andrew attended the OAM presentation with her proud Daughter Susan and Granddaughter Sharon. Humble ‘Marvellous Millie’ says she didn’t know if she really deserved the medal.

“I still have to pinch myself to believe it’s true”, Mrs Andrews says. “I got my satisfaction from all of the joy and pleasure of the children and their families.

“I am very proud of the medal and I am thankful. Today I am lucky to have my health and my health is my wealth.”