Cottee’s is an Australian household name with a legacy dating back to 1898. But at Wesley Mission, the legacy we remember and appreciate is the generosity of the Cottee family.
After his father pioneered Passiona soft drink in the early 20th century, Harold Warnock Cottee set out to expand the family business to include the jellies, cordial and jams we now know and love.
Harold was a loyal supporter of the Methodist Church throughout his life and when he passed away in 1973, he left Wesley Mission (birthed from Methodist roots) a 500-acre orchard in South Australia in his Will.
While it was the largest citrus orchard in the southern hemisphere, initially it wasn’t profitable. But Harold saw its potential. And by 2007, more than $2 million in proceeds were generated from the sales of oranges and orange juice. These funds have helped Wesley Mission care for children and young people who lived at former Dalmar Children’s Homes and now through Wesley Dalmar's foster care program.
Harold’s widow, Lois, also continued their kindness, with a $132,000 gift that established the Harold W. and Lois Cottee Lodge (now Cottee Lodge) for young people experiencing homelessness in Ashfield in the 1980s. Initially used as a youth refuge, in the late 1990s we received additional funding to start a program for young people leaving refuges, like Cottee Lodge, to help them transition into independent living. Today, Cottee Lodge continues to support people who are facing homelessness by providing transitional housing.
Harold and Lois weren’t ostentatious people. They came from working-class backgrounds. They survived the Depression, the First World War. And they were devoutly Christian. After they became successful, they held onto that success and wealth very loosely. For them, it was just natural to put their faith into action.
And their generosity and kindness are still changing lives today. Since 2021, $500,000 has been donated to Wesley Dalmar through Cottee’s orchard. For many years the funds from Cottee’s have been the main funding source to support Wesley Take Charge of Your Life – a program which helps young people leaving foster care to develop skills to build their independence and prepare them for adulthood.
