HOW THE SMITH FAMILY CHANGED OUR LIVES
When Simonne suddenly became a single parent, one famous charity was there to lend a hand
Brave Adelaide mum Simonne says her family’s life changed forever when The Smith Family stepped in to provide the support she needed to help her children finish their education and begin to chase their own dreams.
“When someone supports you like The Smith Family, it’s like a huge burden has been lifted off your back,” Simonne says, explaining that when her marriage broke down 12 years ago, she struggled to raise Adam, now 20 and Brianna, 17, on a single wage.
“I was really torn between putting food on my children’s plate, paying my household bills and rent.”
Simonne even struggled to find stable accommodation – moving her kids five times before accessing public housing – before she reached out to The Smith Family, which began covering the children’s school costs, providing foodbank vouchers and access to essential items.
“Being able to afford uniforms so the kids didn’t look out of place was such a relief,” she says.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford those things if it wasn’t for The Smith Family.”
Struggling with learning difficulties, Brianna and Adam had a hard time at school and would often keep to themselves in class, but their confidence grew after they were enrolled in The Smith Family’s after-school
Learning Club. “The kids would receive one-on-one help as the library was adjacent to their high school, which has been such a great help,” explains Simonne, who is incredibly proud that Adam completed his HSC, while Brianna is also on track to academic success.
Brianna had dreamed of becoming a dancer ever since she was a little girl, and now she’s realising her dream as she completes a Certificate IV and Diploma in Dance, thanks to The Smith Family Tertiary Scholarship Scheme.
“Dancing has really helped
Brianna overcome her learning difficulties,” explains Simonne. “It improves her cognitive abilities and helps lay down new pathways to retain more information, and her confidence has improved so much.”
With a stable home and a support network, Simonne has also found her own calling, pursuing a career in youth work, and securing a work experience placement with The Smith Family.
“I don’t know how to put it into words,” she says. “Without The Smith Family, I don’t really know what I would have done.”
With axe blades shimmering and wood chips flying, you would think there was little chance of romance in the rough and tumble of the woodchopping arena, yet Ashleigh Heath couldn’t help
but notice the captivating smile of a young axeman – braces and all.
“I think it was love at first sight for Blake,’’ Ashleigh, 26, giggles.
“He chased me, to be honest. Although he was a man of few words, I must admit I thought he was pretty cute. He had those braces when we first met and he had a lovely little smile.’’
CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
And so began a special love story. Ashleigh hails from the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island and Blake Marsh is from Australian woodchopping royalty. Their union has already resulted in a gorgeous baby boy, Harrison, and the couple will marry later this year in what is being called Australia’s woodchopping royal wedding. And six-month-old Harrison is with them for every swing of the axe, travelling the woodchopping circuit with his besotted parents.
The young family, who are based at Bellbird, outside Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley, spent 10 hours in a car with Harrison to compete in a competition in Canberra. The next weekend was spent just down the road from their home at the Newcastle Show, before they had to jump back in the car the following week and travel the 600km round trip to Walcha.
“It is like that every weekend during the season,’’ says Ashleigh.
“You just travel to where the competitions are.’’
It really is a labour of love because there’s no money in it – Ashleigh says there are just three or four woodchoppers across the world who can make a living out of their sport.
For the rest, it costs money – and bucketloads of it. Axes are $800 a throw, saws can cost $4000. And there is the timber. Lots of timber…
Blake, 26, is a carpenter, and the son of legendary woodchopper Noel Marsh, who runs a timberyard.
Ashleigh and Blake train every night in an effort to keep their form. Woodchopping is as explosive as it is violent. When you start swinging the axe or ripping and tearing with a saw, it is flat out. There are no half-hearted woodchoppers.
Ashleigh’s dad Chris is a timber seller at Westport, in
New Zealand’s South Island, and a renowned woodchopper, but she didn’t take up the sport until she was 15.
“I was just at the local show one day and thought it looked like fun and I should probably give it a go,’’ she recalls.
“And someone said I was actually OK at it.’’
Before long, Ashleigh was representing her country, and has done so for seven years.
Meanwhile, Blake was following in his father’s footsteps. He was once ranked the number two rookie in the world and was in New Zealand competing when he saw Ashleigh.
They enjoyed a long-distance relationship for 12 months before Ashleigh moved to Australia in 2016, and they were engaged last year.
“I was in the kitchen getting the dogs their dinner when Blake just walked in with some roses,’’ says Ashleigh. “He never, ever bought roses. I asked him what they were for and he said, ‘I just thought they looked nice.’
“And then I saw him holding the ring and I just went, ‘Bullsh*t.’’’
“We had cheese toasties for dinner and that was it. Nothing fancy but very lovely.’’
BEST OF THE BEST
The couple were gearing up for the Royal Easter Show, which is the Melbourne Cup of woodchopping. It attracts the best of the best from around the world – and both Ashleigh and Blake have already enjoyed success there.
“It’s the pinnacle. It is what everyone strives for,’’ says Ashleigh, who’s disappointed the show didn’t go ahead this year.
In the meantime, the training is endless – the happy couple spend hours every night smashing the timber wearing chainmail socks so any poorly judged swings won’t lop off toes or feet.
“We love it,” says Ashleigh. “We couldn’t image doing anything else.’’
‘I saw him holding the ring and I just went, “Bullsh*t”’