Do you ever meet people who just seem to have more time in the day than everyone else? Local mother Veronica Filby is one of them. Her name is attached to an array of causes in the region, whether it’s improving access for kids with disabilities to local facilities and sporting opportunities, throwing events in, and advocating for, Currabubula, linking people with volunteer organisations, or working at The Youthie in Coledale, there’s seemingly nothing Veronica doesn’t have time for. How about you take a few minutes to learn about tonight’s Face of Tamworth.
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MOST little kids want to do whatever their big brothers and sisters are doing, and one local mum of four is making sure those with disabilities can, too.
Veronica Filby is setting up a Wheels and Walkers Family Sports Group, after her six-year-old son learned he wouldn’t be able to join his brothers on the soccer field.
Lucas uses a wheelchair and walker due to cerebral palsy, and would have loved to pull on a jersey like his brothers Hamish, 8, and Joshua, 6.
“Kids in walkers are often great at soccer, because they can use their feet more than their upper bodies, but then there are kids who can’t use their legs but can use their hands for table tennis and badminton and things like that.”
Mrs Filby is no stranger to community work and volunteering.
She’s on maternity leave from her council position as the Volunteer Referral Service co-ordinator, and was heavily involved in the establishment of Tamworth Adventure Playground.
Mrs Filby said she’d love to get a sponsor on board so the program could be free and even supply the kids with team shirts.
“I haven’t really found any events or programs that suited my child being in a wheelchair or a walker at his age,” Mrs Filby said.
“Lucas’s cerebral palsy is quite severe and … he’s completely reliant on equipment to move around, but his cognitive ability is such that he’s aware of what he’s missing out on.
“He’s very determined to do things.
“I can’t let him miss out, if all it takes is for me to spend a bit of time on a program to benefit him and other kids.”
Currabubula locals and businesses banding together to make dreams come true
The Currabubula Local Advisory Group, or LAG, mightn’t have the sexiest name, but their aim couldn’t be any farther from letting the town lag in any sense.
Liverpool Plains mayor Andrew Hope boldly said the group could “aim to make dreams a reality” in the small town.
The LAG is partnered with the council to secure funding for their “dream projects” and bring them to fruition.
Local mum Veronica Filby is leading the group with a simple vision for the town.
I’ve seen how great communities can be at working together and creating spaces that people can enjoy,” she said.
“We’re just trying to make it so it is family friendly and visitor friendly.
“We want to make it a place that families want to live in.”
What’s the first priority for the group which could make “dreams a reality”? Tennis, anyone.
An upgraded tennis court in Currabubula keeps locals at home and brings out-of-towners to the village.
“So you would stop that needing to drive to town for tennis lessons,” Ms Filby said.
“If we had a good enough facility we could encourage coaches to come out.
“It’s got a very high membership here.”
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
