Patricia Farrant devoted her life to serving others as a humanitarian and social worker. She established her Charitable Fund Account, the Patricia Farrant Fund, with the intention of supporting her much loved charities for the long-term.
Patricia was attracted to Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation for its history in supporting a range of important issues, its long-term view and the fact she was joining a giving community of like-minded donors. And especially it allowed her to gift beyond her own lifetime into the future.
Before Patricia passed away in 2019, she had nominated her very close friends Norma and Penny (also social workers) to be the successors of her Charitable Fund Account.
Norma recalls Pat being incredibly passionate about supporting people who were vulnerable, particularly women and girls. Through her work as a social worker Pat was very interested in women’s rights, especially for women who had experienced domestic violence.
Norma said that Pat had held the position of Chief Social Worker at the Queen Victoria Hospital where she assisted women who had experienced sexual violence when rape was still seen as a woman’s fault.
“Pat was a pioneer. She established the first sexual assault clinic in 1977, the very first such clinic in Australia. Prior to that, women had to be examined at the police station. They weren’t treated as medical patients at that time and were treated more as making criminal complaints," said Norma.
“Pat’s other passion was animals. She was horrified at animal cruelty and how animals always seemed to be the most vulnerable. She felt extremely strongly about this issue and generously supported numerous animal welfare charities.”
As Pat’s charitable fund successors, Norma and Penny undertake considerable research online finding and reviewing charitable organisations working in emergencies, disasters rescue and protecting the welfare of animals. They also like to stay personally connected with their donor-advised grant recipients.
"We like to keep Pat’s memory alive by telling the charities we support about what type of person Pat was. She would be so happy that she continues to support charities that were dear to her heart and knowing she is helping beyond her own lifetime.”
Norma and Penny agree that a great strength of the Foundation, besides its support in so many areas of need, is its endurance through time, “The Foundation has been going strong for almost 100 years and will continue on long after we’re gone.
“We’re all charitable, it is just another way of being an ethical person. Pat graduated in philosophy (with first class honours) from university and felt strongly about helping others. She was awarded a medal in the Order of Australia in 2018, one of the higher categories of the Order.”