Fiona Castle came to speak at Melbourne Festival on 9th September at the invitation of The Churches Together in Melbourne. Fiona is the widow of the entertainer Roy Castle and became a campaigner for ‘no smoking in public places’ after her husband died of cancer through passive smoking.
She spoke warmly to capacity audiences at meetings in the afternoon and evening, at the Bill Shone Leisure Centre.
She talked about her life, how she came to be a Christian and the amazing transformation that had come about in her life. Fiona movingly described the illness suffered by her husband, and how their shared Christian faith had been critical in the way they both lived through that difficult time. She also shared many other stories about her journey through life and the decisions and the opportunities we all have, to two very interested audiences.
The churches in Melbourne were delighted to be able to host the event and to contribute very positively to Melbourne Festival. Jackie Birnie, Chairman of Churches Together in Melbourne said, “All those present appreciated her thoughts and were challenged and encouraged by what she had to say.” She presented Fiona with a bouquet of flowers and a cheque which will be donated to Global Care, a charity Fiona supports that helps under privileged children in the world.
