Being described by another woman in town as her ‘angel’ and bringing smiles to people’s faces is what keeps Kay Cumberland going.
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But the great grandmother and tireless community worker doesn’t want rewards or limelight, because she benefits from what she does just as much as the recipient does.
Mrs Cumberland is well known in Scone, she’s driven the school bus and taxi around town for the past 40 years, she serves in the school canteen, she’s helped run community groups and she’s always ready and willing to lend a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear to vent to.
Being born at Wingen and growing up in the small country village, Mrs Cumberland is a true local having lived in the area ever since.
She and her siblings – a brother and two sisters – were educated at Wingen Public School before attending Scone Rural School for secondary.
As a young woman, Mrs Cumberland worked in a travel service at Scone before making the move to Campbell’s Store where she continued until she married John.
As was the norm in those days, Mrs Cumberland stopped working when she married, but not for long, as together they ran their own business which Mrs Cumberland solely operates today.
The Cumberland’s have operated an on call taxi service and the Moobi bus run in Scone for the past 40 years and since Mr Cumberland sadly passed three years ago, Mrs Cumberland has operated the business herself.
When they married John already had the taxi business, but soon after they bought the bus run from Mr Bell, so Mrs Cumberland drove the bus and Mr Cumberland operated the taxi service.
Each morning and afternoon she transports children to and from school with the service now growing to two runs due to the increase in children living in the Moobi Road area.
The two runs cover the Cliftlands Road, Allan Cunningham Drive and Kookaburra Avenue areas.
Although her phone never stops ringing and if she’s not busy in the car, she’s driving the bus, Mrs Cumberland said she wouldn’t have it any other way as she likes to keep busy.
“It’s good because it makes me get up and get going,” she said.
Mrs Cumberland said she enjoys what she does as she has met a lot of people throughout the years.
“Between us, John and I used to be able to tell you where everyone lived in Scone.
“These days you don’t see and meet as many people as the demand for taxis in Scone has decreased.
“There used to be three or four taxis operating in town, until the last 10 years and now there are just two,” she said.
“It’s a good job, you get to talk to all different people from all different walks of life.
“When you hear their stories it often puts things into perspective and I think ‘well maybe it’s not that bad’.”
Being a breast cancer survivor, Mrs Cumberland is one of those very special people who likes to give back to help others going through the same thing.
After being convinced to go to the mammogram bus when she was just 40, Mrs Cumberland’s cancer was detected and soon after she had a full mastectomy.
She was one of the first women with breast cancer to be detected on the mammogram bus and it was only by pure accident that they discovered it.
Following this life changing experience, in 2001 Mrs Cumberland and two friends decided to start the Scone Breast Cancer Association, which provides support and friendship to anyone who is experiencing the effects of breast cancer.
The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Scone Medical Practice to simply talk and be among friends.
Mrs Cumberland said they first started the group because they had no one to talk to, woman-to-woman.
“Breast cancer is such a private thing for a lot of people and at that stage we didn’t know anyone else who had it.
“Our group joins to sit and chat, and help and support each other.
“Anyone that rings me to chat knows it remains between us and I can go and visit them, go for a coffee or chat on the phone.
“I couldn’t tell you the number of women I have had a cry with or a cuppa with in town,” Mrs Cumberland said.
Her current project is doing the leg work to get a breast cancer nurse situated at this end of the valley as the closet one is at Newcastle or Tamworth.
The group also hand make pillows and drainage bags to donate to the Mater Hospital for all breast cancer patients following surgery.
In the past they offered education dinners to locals with guest speaker Professor John Forbes providing information on cancer.
Mrs Cumberland said she is here for anyone who needs to talk.
“I try to be positive, if you’re not positive in anything you do, it’s not worth it, is it?,” she said.
While her son and daughter were at school Mrs Cumberland was involved in anything they were, from sport to band to school canteen.
She was the president of the Scone High School canteen committee for many years, often filling in the gaps in the roster and she continues to volunteer once a month today.
Girl Guides was another big interest as Mrs Cumberland was president of the supporters group, badge secretary, secretary and treasurer of the organisation.
She said she enjoyed running fundraisers with other parents to purchase equipment for the guides and support the guide leaders.
Mrs Cumberland was a keen campdrafter as a young woman, also competing in the sporting events, hack classes and lady rider events, and she was recognised with a Long Service Medal by the Wingen Bushman’s Carnival.
Due to her ongoing commitment to the schools, Mrs Cumberland was presented a Director General’s Award for Education for her work as vice president of the Scone High School P&C Association, school band secretary and treasurer and long term volunteer service to the school.
She is currently the secretary of the Upper Hunter Bus NSW Association which requires regular meetings to stay abreast of new laws and regulations surrounding driving buses.
It’s no surprise, Mrs Cumberland was strongly involved in the Scone Relay for Life event when it existed, as she was a member of the inaugural committee and also ran the canteen all day and all night at the event.
With a passion for sewing, Mrs Cumberland was pleased to be the convenor of the Embroidery Guild in Scone and was also a parent helper and supervisor when the Marching Koalas – a band of Upper Hunter Public School students – visited England, putting together a diary of the trip for them after returning.
This effort was clapped when the group presented Mrs Cumberland with a certificate of appreciation for her help and support.
When asked what motivates her to give back so much to the community, Mrs Cumberland responded with – “Why shouldn’t you? That’s what life is all about”.
“Talking to people and bringing smiles to their faces makes my day.
“I don’t do anything that anyone else doesn’t do.”