May 2021

1. CELEBRATE LIVING
HISTORY
Howdy Folks! Its been a long time between newsletters and a lot has
happened since then! I've been busy with the new book Diaries of a
Casual Worker and www.bevwilkinson.com.au its a website dedicated
to all that i've acheived in 10 years with Celebrate Living History. It
was amazing to dig through all the archives and realise that I have
worked with so many wonderful students and for that I am grateful.
Who would have thought an idea that started simply inside my head
would spark so many connections between generations. It gives me
goosebumps that Celebrate Living History has so much potential to
make people smile and cherish stories that otherwise would never be
recorded and simply lost forever.
I love being the person in the middle connecting young and old. I
truely beleive if you find something that you love then you just got to
keep going and keep persisting. One day that vision inside your head
will become a reality even if it takes years to make it happen.
My new dream is to step outside of my full time casual role and take
on my passion full time. That is truely scary for me as I've always
depended on these paid roles to keep doing what I love. But seeing
the website made me realise I have so much potential to become a
paid speaker, writer and facilitator and I need to step into this role.
Wish me luck and to be cheeky if you need a speaker or facilitator
feel free to get in touch!
Keep Safe and dream big!
Till Next Time! Bev
Words from Bev
Founder of Celebrate living History
Contents
Meet our intern Erin Norton
Entrepreneur Erin Young
Life as an international student
Feature Story: My Grandad
Entrepreneur: Eddie Lees
My Favourite Concerts
Recipe Pigs Blankets
Sponsors
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU

2. Diaries of a Casaul Worker
By Bev Wilkinson
In life, we face many difficulties. As a fresh
graduate, we often hear the phrase, 'Thank
you for your time, but at this stage you have
been unsuccessful.' What happens when
you get sick of hearing the word, 'No'?
It can be easy to wallow in self-pity. But the
challenge is to pick yourself up and believe
you can do anything, and say, 'Bugger this, I
will make my own way.'
Diaries of A Casual Worker features the
stories of Bev Wilkinson, as she tackles the
world of casual employment, as a necessity
to help fund her passion for writing and
connecting generations. We all need to live,
but the challenge is to keep doing what you
love. These work diaries show that you can
do mainstream work, but still keep aiming
high, and make your creative passions a
reality.
Autographed copies of Diaries of a Casual
Worker can be purchased at
www.bevwilkinson.com.au
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU
Meet Erin Norton
What attracts you about being an intern for Celebrate Living
History?
I'm in my final year of a Bachelor of Journalism and
Communciation and it's getting to the stage now where everyone
is asking me what I'm going to do at the end of it all. The thing is,
I'm not sure what I want to do yet! Which is totally natural but I
thought interning at Celebrating Living History would help me
develop my interviewing, writing and photography skills.
Working at a medical centre on the Sunshine Coast, I come across
a lot of different people from all walks of life and its so interesting
to hear their life stories.
Who is an older person that you admire and why?
All the classics like David Bowie, David Attenbourough those guys
but also my own family like my Nans and my parents. They are so
resilient and hard-working- a trait that I hope they have passed
down to me.
If you could jump into a time machine what era would you
visit and why?
I'm quite interested in late 20th century history at the moment
especially American moral panics of the 1970's onwards. It would
be super interesting to see how people thought during this time. I
would have to say the 70's and 80's in England. My parents grew
up during that time and it would be funny to see them when they
were my age.

3. P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU
My Grandad
This is my Grandad Ron receiving a medal of honour from the Queen Mother in 1975. According to my Nan,
she smiled at him and remarked “A Gordon for me”. Ron stood up so straight that a button of his uniform
came flying off!
This is how I would like to remember him: a proud, humble, and respectful soldier with an infectious sense of
humour- a trait that he has passed on to my Dad.
Unfortunately, he passed away in 2013 and as my grandparents lived in Spain, I have few memories of Ron. I
remember he had wrinkly tattoos on his chest and a silver tooth but until now, I did not know the extent of
his military career. Looking at the old pictures and reading the reports from his fellow soldiers and students, I
can see that Ron was loved dearly by everyone, especially my Nan Sandra. It has been an honour to write this
article and reconnect with an important figure in my family’s diverse and complicated history.
So, let us start at the beginning (with the help of some official documents).
Roy “Ron” Alexander Norton was born on the 12th of May 1937. He started boxing when was 8 years old and
left school at 15 to join the Merchant Navy. He stayed with the Navy for a couple of years but then changed
tack and enlisted in the now legendary Gordon Highlanders.
The Gordon Highlanders were one of the finest regiments in the British Army, spanning over 200 years until
their amalgamation in 1994. Consisting of fishermen, farmers, university students and labourers, the
Highlanders were ordinary people with a strong sense of duty and drive to serve their country.
Ron enlisted in 1963 and completed his basic training in Fort George, a tiny town near Inverness in Scotland.
That same year, Ron and his fellow Highlanders embarked on numerous tours of duty in Kenya, Mombasa,
and Swaziland and then moved on to Borneo and Cyprus.
During his time with the Highlanders, was revered by his colleagues who referred to him as “Mush”. He was
described as a short man but one who walked tall and was brimming with the self confidence of an “old
soldier” and loved canoeing and boxing. His stern and sometimes ominous exterior concealed a man who
would light up a room with his endless supply of jokes, making the dullest moments entertaining.
By Erin Norton

4. P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
In 1972, Ron married the love of his life, Sandra in Grays, Essex, England. Shortly after the wedding, the newly
weds with my Dad in tow moved to Northern Ireland where Ron completed a tour of duty, assisting the Royal
Ulster Constabulary (RUI) during “The Troubles”, a series of riots and terrorist attacks by the Irish Republican
Army. During the late 70’s and 80’s, the trio moved around a lot and journeyed to many far off and exotic
places like Singapore, Penang, and New Zealand.
But after years of service to the Highlanders and the British Army, Ron retired from military life in the
summer of 1981 taking up a job in Industrial Security Management. After my Dad was all grown up, Ron and
Sandra moved from England to the idyllic seaside town of Mazarron, Murcia, Spain, which provided a perfect
place for retirement.
Throughout his later years of life, he became even more of an inspiration by joining the local Karate
community, teaching a number of students at the Dominoes Martial Arts Self Defence Club as “Sensei
Rocket”.
My Grandad Ron was a hero, a true gentleman, a husband, and a father. He touched the hearts of many
throughout his life and I am honoured to say that I am related to him. Love you forever.
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU

5. Aya is a 17-year-old Indonesian female who started studying on the Gold Coast in 2019. She commenced university
in June where she enrolled in a Diploma of Arts and Communication.
At her beginning of university, Aya experienced culture shock as she never thought Australian culture was vastly
different with Indonesia. This culture shock ranged from daily activities to formal activities. Aya was surprised when
she saw college students were allowed to wear casual outfits to campus, including sandals, shorts and t-shirts. This
was different in comparison to Indonesia, where it is mandatory for college and university students to wear formal
outfits when attending classes.
Moreover, Aya found another type of culture shock with the lecturer’s ways of teaching that were different. At
Griffith University, the course schedule was flexible depending on student’s response or enthusiasm and most
lecturers are friendly to students. However, the way of teaching in Indonesia is the opposite, where students are not
allowed to have a very friendly relation with their teachers to avoid bribery.
Sometimes, Aya struggled with the adaptation of lifestyle and cultures. However, Aya believed that she had to adapt
to this new way of life to do well in her new chapter of as an International student in Australia.
Aya was grateful to experience the different way of life in Australia all that she had learnt shaped her view of the
world differently giving her insight into another culture.
One of the good aspects of studying abroad are that Aya became more independent. Aya learnt to do things that she
had never done on her own in Indonesia. Aya was always seeking help from friends and relatives to help her. In
Australia Aya learnt how to do tasks solo such as cook rice, open bank accounts, pay tuition and lease apartments to
stay.
Another great lesson Aya learned from living in Australia was to become more of a friendly, easy going and open-
minded person, as being a student on the Gold Coast
she needed to develop good communication skills to expand her social circle. Aya soon become friends with fellow
students to broaden her connections while she studied at university.
Life as an international student
Written by Vania Anindita
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU

6. I was in my element in the events industry. My role at Marvel Stadium involved working with patrons from all around
the world. All I had to do was provide information on the venue, and show patrons to their seats. Through these
roles, I got to see wicked concerts like Adele and Bon Jovi, while getting paid. My favourite concert was Adele, who
played at what was known as Etihad Stadium at the time. She was amazing.
I was pretty close to the stage and once I ushered everyone to their seats, I got to relax and enjoy the concert.
She has such a great sense of humour, and I loved her banter in between songs.
Adele totally blew me away with her humble account of her life to where she was now. Adele painted a
colourful character, and it was like a mini comedy show. I could not stop smiling. She chatted about burping
and what it was like at the Oscars, with her ‘tits overflowing with milk,’ after having a child. She revealed that
while her life looks glamourous, she was really wearing a diamond encrusted dress, drawing in sweat and
bugs!
I liked how she shared her personal photos from when she was growing up. As a child, she had a big smile on
her face, and loved East 17. I, too, had a poster of the East 17 gang on my wall! It was nice reminiscing about
the past and fond memories. I also loved the personal touch of Adele’s handwritten notes that were plastered
all over the stadium, that was truly lovely. Such a wonderful concert that shows you can be humble and
famous.
I remember when Justin Bieber played at Etihad Stadium, he totally took me by surprise. To be honest, I was
not a huge fan of his. He seemed to have a huge attitude when captured by the media. All his tattoos and bad
attitude may have been a big hit with teenagers, but it would take a lot to change my viewpoint of him.
While waiting for briefing to start, we were sitting in the seats overlooking the stadium. It was calm before
hundreds of teenagers would scream their way into Etihad Stadium. Then all of sudden, this sense of calm
was broken with the tapping of a soccer ball rolling around the ground. I looked up from my briefing notes
and spotted this bleached haired kid running around kicking a ball. At first, I thought it was a dancer, fitting
in some exercise. Then I looked closer. It was Justin Bieber. He seemed so young and innocent, kicking
around a ball. He was not with an entourage of people. He was just himself, deep in his thoughts, kicking a
ball. Sometimes you build up so much hype around a celebrity that you forget they are just human. As my
mum says, everyone has to poop, no matter what status you are in life.
In a few hours, Justin would be on stage singing his songs to thousands of screaming fans. But I will always
remember him as that bleached haired kid, kicking around the ball.
To read more stories autographed copies of Diaries of a Casual Worker can be
purchased at www.bevwilkinson.com.au
My favourite Concerts- Diairies of a Casual Worker
By Bev Wilkinson
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU

7. Meet Erin Young founder of Zen Matcha
Tea in Australia and Evergreen Matcha in
the USA
What are some of the struggles you have faced starting
your own business?
The first big challenge was the isolation I felt when I first
started the business. I was working from home and the
business was not making much money. Not having a team
around me or a structure to my day was very hard and caused
me to develop anxiety. I decided at a young age to go back
and get a corporate job and grow Zean Green Tea on the side.
Another challenge came from business growth. Four years
into the business, I received an email from a company wh
distributed to health food stores asking if they could sell my
product. I agreen and they confirmed a relatively small
number of units they expected to buy each month.
I set aside these units and went on a planned vacation
overseas. While on vacation, I received a frantic call from my
mother saying this distributor just ordered more than my
entire Australian stock of tea.
The massive increase in volume meant that I had to air
frieght more stock into Australia and my parents had to take
a week off work to help me pack stock. It is small events like
this that define the business and I am happy to say we were
able to meet the new volume!
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU
Zen Matcha Tea
zengreentea.com.au
facebook.com/ZenGreenTea
instagram.com/zengreentea
You can buy an autographed
copy of Entrepreneurs:
Generations Apart at
www.bevwilkinson.com.au

8. Meet Eddie Lees founder of Now Sorted, an estate-
planning application.
What motivates you to keep working after 60?
It beats the alternative, and with a lifetime of
learning, there is so much to give back, to share, to
pass on.
What do you like most about having your own
business?
While its a lot less rosy than people think, the ability
to excercise patience while developing a top-flight
service is something that a profit-seeking employer
would never allow, when you own your business, you
can deploy patient capital. Having one's own
business demands integrity, belief and strength of
purpose, you can't hide from reality and all these
factors build character, even when you don't realise
its happening.
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU
Now Sorted
nowsorted.com
facebook/nowsorted
You can buy an autographed
copy of Entrepreneurs:
Generations Apart at
www.bevwilkinson.com.au

9. INGREDIENTS
1 (8-oz.) tube crescent rolls
1 12-oz. package mini cocktail
weiners
4 tbsp. melted butter
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Step 1 Preheat oven to 375º. On a lightly floured surface,
unroll crescent sheets and tear where perforated. Cut each
triangle into 3 smaller triangles.
Step 2 Place one cocktail weiner on thick side of each
triangle then gently roll to thinner side.
Step 3 Transfer to a medium baking sheet, brush with
melted butter, and a sprinkle with coarse salt.
Step 4 Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
Author: Alyssa Rosello Publication: Delish
Recipe of the Month
Pigs in Blanket
P H O T O B Y M A R T I N R . S M I T H
WWW.CELEBRATELIVINGHISTORY.COM.AU
WWW.BEVWILKINSON.COM.AU

10. Sponsors
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