A Mother’s Legacy of Safety and Service In 2017, due to a lack of funding, the London Block Parent program, a Canadian first, shut down after almost 50 years of helping kids get home safely.
In 1971. Mrs. Botten was appointed liaison officer for the three Byron public school block parent associations. Her job involved keeping records of all the block parents in Byron, doing yearly telephone checks of each block parent home and, most importantly, explaining the program to children and the public. Despite the hard work and long hours,
It was formed in 1968 and was known by the familiar red-and-white signs in the windows of approved safe houses. Block Parents was once the safety net in communities for kids needing adult help for any reason. Credit must be given to the thousands of volunteers who have been Block Parents over the years.
Mrs. Botten stayed with the program for a full decade. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in something you believe in,” she said. “When you put all that work and effort into something that started from scratch, you want to keep it in tip-top shape.” “I don’t suppose I’ll ever get it out of my system. It’s hard to get disinterested in block parents after seeing the program grow up in London and eventually spread across the country,” she said. For its tenth anniversary, the association sponsored a contest for the best slogan that captured the spirit of block parents. “I came home from a meeting and yelled up to all the kids to think of something,” she said. Both Mrs. Botten and her son, David, 15, were surprised when his slogan was chosen. “It beat my entry,” Mrs. Botten said. A friendly, vivacious woman, Mrs. Botten lights up when she talks about her experiences with the block parents. She has many stories to tell about the individuals who make the program work. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last 10 years with the association,” she said. “Even if the program helped one child, it was worth it.”
Audrey Botten
A Byron resident for many decades, Audrey Botten was an integral part of bringing the Block Parent Organization to Byron. See the article below from the London Free Press (circa 1978). As long as Block Parents have been in London, Audrey Botten helped. David Botten must have been thinking of his mother, Audrey, when he wrote the block parent slogan, ‘Always There with a Helping Hand’. For the past 10 years, he has watched his mother offer her hand to the Block Parent Association and the children it protects. Mrs. Botten, of Byron, has worked with the association since it began in London in 1968. As the first block parent chairman from the Byron Southwood School, she was instrumental in bringing the new program to her community. “I thought it was a good idea right from the beginning, so I went into it wholeheartedly”, she said. “Those signs said we are looking after our community”. A mother of six, Mrs. Botten is also a member of the Parent-Teacher Association and a parent volunteer at Southwood School. “When you have six children who are taking out of the community, you have to put something back in,” she said. Although she retired from the block parent executive this year, Mrs. Botten’s 10 years with the association were fruitful. Her enthusiasm for the project affected many people. “In the early days, I used to knock on people’s doors and ask them to be Block Parents,” she said.
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mumma — the greatest example of how to give back with love and purpose. She was the bank that I deposited all my hurts and worries and withdrew love, strength and support. She showed me that the heart of a joyful life is in serving others. Her kindness continues to inspire me every day. ~ Barb Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible women who nurture with love — mothers, grandmothers, stepmoms, aunts, and every woman whose heart holds the love of a child.
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Page 23 Byron Villager May 2025
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