GENEROUS JAN AN ANGEL TO SO MANY
GOLD Coast Soroptimist Jan Banfield has been remembered as a volunteer extraordinaire and passionate advocate for the disadvantaged who made a difference to thousands of people’s lives.
Mrs Banfield, 78, who passed away peacefully on the Gold Coast on September 6 after a short illness, is survived by daughter Samantha and grandchildren Daniel and Georgina.
An angel to many, Mrs Banfield was renowned for her positive outlook, enthusiasm and great sense of humour – qualities she used to help add joy to the lives of others, including children affected by domestic and family violence.
Mrs Banfield grew up in Coburg, Melbourne, with her friend of 67 years, fellow Gold Coast Soroptimist Elwyn Syers.
“Our parents played golf and holidayed together, so we have always had a close family connection,” Mrs Syers said.
“We went to Coburg High School together, and used to sit at the back of the classroom so we could see the convicts in the jail gardens, and would wave to them.”
After a period spent living in Kuwait, Mrs Banfield met her late husband Alan in Melbourne.
The couple bought a factory in North Fitzroy and established up-market designer curtain and cushion company Charisma Curtains, crafting curtains for Government House at Yarralumla (the Governor General’s official residence) and the Melbourne Arts Centre.
After selling the business, the Banfields moved to the Gold Coast.
A long-time member of Soroptimist International Gold Coast Inc, a global organisation for the voice of women which boasts 75,000 members in 133 countries, Mrs Banfield was elected president of the local branch in February 2017.
“I’m so proud to be part of such a large worldwide organisation,” she said at the time.
“All of us are striving to improve the lives of thousands of women and girls by empowering, educating and enabling them to reach their full potential.”
Mrs Banfield created hundreds of items for the Special Care Premature Unit at the Gold Coast Hospital and coordinated the soroptimists’ Pyjama Drive to support The Pyjama Foundation and its Love of Learning literacy and numeracy program.
As one of the program’s volunteer Pyjama Angels, Mrs Banfield read to foster kids, helped them with their homework and provided literacy support and loving mentoring.
Her work overseeing the collection of hundreds of new ‘jammies’ for the annual Pyjama Drive earned her the Foundation’s 2017 Gold Coast Pyjama Angel of the Year.
“Some of the kids have never known the simple pleasure of snuggling into a brand new pair of ‘jammies’ for the first time,” she said at the time.
“They often arrive into care with little more than the clothes on their back. They are used to wearing only secondhand clothing.”
Mrs Banfield also co-ordinated the Soroptimists’ weekly sewing skills classes for refugee women at Southport Community Centre, held in conjunction with The Migrant Centre.
The circle is designed to help refugee women become part of the Gold Coast community and practise speaking English in a safe, friendly environment.
Mrs Syers said Mrs Banfield was “very well known for her talent at sewing and creative quilting”.
“Jan was a human dynamo with her sewing for charity as well, making hundreds of toiletry bags for our soroptimist charity, and always ready to donate one of her beautiful handmade rugs or wall-hangings for a raffle prize,” she said.
“She never complained about her health, and was always cheerful. It is a complete shock to lose her so quickly.
“She has made such a difference to so many lives with her boundless energy, always with a smile, and I feel very privileged to have known and loved her for so many years.”
Mrs Banfield’s life was celebrated by family and friends at Somerville Chapel, Nerang, on September 14.