Where Angels Fear to Tread - Author Talk

Next date: Thursday, 12 June 2025 | 06:00 PM

Hear from the author Sylvia Rapley-Anderson as she details her involvement in the creation of the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital.

Copies of the book will be for sale on the night.

About the book

In 1973, a small group of parents and health professionals set out to overturn the inhumane and rigid treatment children received in hospitals around the country.

To do this, they formed the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital (AWCH), and their vision was to put the welfare of the child at the centre of every decision that was made about them.

Sylvia was one of the founders of AWCH.

This is her story of those three years that transformed children's hospital care forever.

About the author

Sylvia Anderson comes from the small Murray River town of Moama, and briefly attended school in both Echuca and Deniliquin. As a young mother, she accompanied her teacher husband and two-year-old daughter to Sydney where her second daughter was born. It was due to Wendy’s hospitalisation as a baby that she became involved with a small group of people who were concerned for the psychological well-being of children during hospitalisation. This group of people formed the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital (AWCH) in 1973 and received funding under the Whitlam government in 1975. Their work revolutionised the treatment of hospitalised children and their families.

Sylvia and her family moved to Bathurst in 1977 where her third daughter was born. During her time in Bathurst, Sylvia worked for Dr Hugh Mackay ad a fieldwork organiser and then at Mitchell College of Advanced Education (later Charles Sturt University -Bathurst) as secretary/welfare Administrator for the students Representative Council. During this time, she undertook a degree in Liberal Studies majoring in history and literature.  She tutored at the Aboriginal student centre, Wammera at CSU and was co-ordinator of the youth group “Backtracks” in Bathurst.

In 2018 she began to research the history of AWCH as a means of recording the story of the organisation which had been established 50 years ago.  The book Where Angels Fear to Tread was the result.  Previously, she has written for CSU’s literary publications, a travel magazine and in retirement contributed many scripts for her choir’s performances in the historic Bowraville Theatre.  At 81 years old, Where Angels Fear to Tread Is her first published work.

When

Location

Bathurst Library, 70-78 Keppel Street, View Map