Community
24 April, 2026
Social group gives one last time
LISMORE’S Social Club has enacted a final act of generosity after the club folded at the end of last month, with four community organisations in Derrinallum and Lismore receiving a donation.
Founded in 1991, the group began as a way members from the Lismore Masonic Lodge could give back to the community and continued after the masonic lodge was closed in 2001.
Members included John Breen, Sylvia Neil, Barb and Whoopy Worrall, Joan and John McDonald, Norm and Joyce McClure, Bill and June Bustard, Sue and Bill Charles and John Stiley.
Mrs Neil said the group would host regular barbecues at a variety of community events, including Lismore Motorbike Scrambles and the Western Plains Machinery Preservation Group Annual Vintage Weekend.
Funds raised from these events would then be donated annually to Derrinallum P-12 College and Lismore Primary School through annual awards.
“We were doing barbecues and things like that, giving the money we made to charity,” Mrs Neil said.
“Last month my husband passed away, so the club shut down.
“Just before he passed away, we were able to have a meeting where he told us what he wanted done with the money we had left over.
“We’ve been doing it for over 30 years – my husband would have been 90 in July, and he was president.
“We’re all getting up in age, and we all decided we’d reached the age we needed to stop and another group has taken over.”
Mrs Neil, who distributed the donations under the guidance of her late husband John Breen, said she was proud to present the donations to the organisations, feeling it was a fitting way to honour his long-standing commitment to the community and the Country Fire Authority (CFA).
Mr Breen had been a member of the Derrinallum CFA since approximately 1983 and was a passionate about giving back to the community prior to his death.
“The Derrinallum CFA and Lismore CFA are receiving the largest donations,” Mrs Neil said.
“Both the Derrinallum and Lismore CFA brigades play an important role across the district and are entirely volunteer-run.
“The donations will assist them in continuing their valuable work supporting local residents.
“Following recent fires in the district, he (Mr Breen) felt the CFA volunteers deserved recognition for their commitment and the time they freely give to protect local communities.
“He also encouraged others in the community to get behind and support these volunteers wherever possible.”
The Derrinallum and Lismore CFA brigades received around $1000 each.
While the club has folded, its legacy will endure – including a barbecue shed bearing the name of Mr Worrall following his passing in 2016 and the passing of the tongs to the Classic Scramble Club.
“While the Lismore Social Club Committee has now come to a close, its final act reflects the strong community spirit it represented for many years, ensuring its support will continue to benefit local organisations in the future,” Mrs Neil said.
Read More: Lismore, Derrinallum