Robin Erratt has been celebrated for an astonishing 90 years of service to the Australian Red Cross, making her the longest-serving member in Australia, and possibly in the whole world.
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Records show Mrs Robin Christine Erratt was signed up for the Australian Red Cross by her mother in 1933, back when she was just four years old.
On Tuesday, August 8, a heartfelt ceremony was held in Tamworth's Red Cross House in Mrs Erratt's honour, attended by her daughter, Amanda Erratt, as well as Australian Red Cross President Ross Pinney, NSW Chairman John Maclennan, Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson, and mayor Russell Webb.
Mrs Erratt said she "doesn't know what all the fuss is about".
"I haven't been working [for Red Cross] since I was four. I don't know what they've cooked up for this, I really don't, because you can't go do anything for anyone else when you're four," she said.
Despite her humility, the celebration drew crowds from Red Cross branches in Currabubula, Hallsville, Quirindi, Wallabadah, Glen Innes, and of course, Tamworth.
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Originally from Boggabri, Mrs Erratt has lived in Tamworth since 1989 and has held the roles of treasurer and president during her time serving the Australian Red Cross' Boggabri, Tamworth, and Currabubula branches.
"I grew up with it, and in a small country town you do what you can. We all have to get in and do things, even things we might not want to do," she said.
Mrs Erratt's daughter said her mother should be celebrated simply for being her kind, compassionate self.
"We all look up to her. She's amazing. My friends call her the Queen," Amanda Erratt said with a laugh.
In the crowded hall, the 94-year-old accepted a custom-made service badge from the Australian Red Cross President with a royal level of grace and dignity.
But instead of basking in the spotlight, Mrs Erratt chose to use the attention received to call attention to an issue close to her home and heart.
"[In Boggabri], coal has taken over. I grew up beside the Leard Forest, which is now completely raped," she said, referring to the Boggabri Coal Mine which has been the subject of multiple controversies since opening in 2006.
The mine, owned by Japanese fossil fuel company Idemitsu, was recently in hot water for stealing more than $50,000 worth of water from the Boggabri community during the peak of the last drought.
After Mrs Erratt had the chance to speak her mind, Australian Red Cross President Ross Pinney was quick to bring the focus back to her historic achievement.
"The Australian Red Cross I think is 109 or 110 years old, so to clock up 90 years of service is almost 90 per cent of the life of the organisation, which is wonderful," Mr Pinney said.
The president thanked Mrs Erratt for her contributions, including her involvement in the Currabubula Red Cross Art Show, which he said has raised "enormous sums of money for Red Cross over the years".
He said Mrs Erratt's decades of service serve as a "classic example" of the values on which the Red Cross was founded - service, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to humanity.
Outside of the Red Cross, Mrs Erratt is also a member of Boggabri's CWA Branch as well as an honorary life member of regional cancer support charity Can Assist.
But Australia's longest-serving Red Cross member remains humble.
"I've done nothing more than other people do when they live in a small country town," Mrs Erratt said.
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