BSL turns 90
Tuesday 8 December 2020 was a special day for BSL as we marked our 90th anniversary.
Named after the patron saint of the poor, BSL was founded in 1930 in the Anglican parish of St. Stephen in Adamstown, NSW, by Father Gerard Kennedy Tucker, together with theological students, Guy Coleman Cox and Michael Clarke.
In 1933, BSL then relocated from NSW to Fitzroy, where BSL’s headquarters remain today, to help the unemployed and those living in poverty in what was then one of Melbourne’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Born during the Great Depression, BSL's vision was to serve the community and help Australians experiencing disadvantage. Today our work is even more important than ever, as we deal with the effects of COVID-19.
Now an organisation of 1,516 staff and 1,756 volunteers, BSL has grown into one of Australia’s leading social justice organisations. Over the past 90 years, our founding convictions for a transformed and just society have remained unchanged and are at the core of BSL’s mission heading into the 21st century.
The reach of BSL’s work over 90 years has created an untold impact, with its many firsts shaping the social and cultural landscape of Australia today. To highlight the contribution of BSL over its 90 years and to share the stories of BSL’s impression on so many, a 90th-anniversary microsite was created. It provides a wonderful overview of BSL over the decades and provides a collection of stories from people who have experienced the effect of BSL’s work.
One of those stories is from Lisa, a teacher at the David Scott School :
Congratulations on 90 years. Knowing BSL has been one of my early memories. My mother worked at the Brotherhood of St Laurence Settlement in Carrum Downs as a cleaner. I was immersed in the Brotherhood of St. Laurence and my favourite time of the year was the fair held each year. It was the sense of community that I remembered the most. The little tuck shop and the second-hand shop was my favourite for rummaging around, and also the little garden nursery. BSL was my first part-time job in the kitchen at Carrum Downs helping serve meals and doing the dishes. When I was 17 the BSL showed compassion and kindness when my brother was lost at sea. The Brotherhood has always given a sense of wholehearted kindness and support to whoever needed it. Now in 2020, I have re-joined the BSL as a teacher at the David Scott School. Life does move in circles and the ripple effects of kindness go on.
While 8 December 2020 marked BSL’s 90th, that was just the start of a 12-month celebration of our anniversary. This included the launch of our 90th microsite , gathering our staff and volunteers together through a virtual celebratory mass that Archbishop Freier presided over. And as the 90th Anniversary Year concluded, we held a Celebratory Eucharist, giving thanks for 90 years of social change and care for those most disadvantaged in our community.