Amy Forbes, committed Wakefield resident

Amy Forbes has been described as the mother of the community of Wakefield, but for this champion educator, service over self is what she was born to do.

Forbes, who attended Moneague Teachers' College, said she made the decision to return to her community after being trained as a teacher.

Duty to serve

"I came back home, I had to come home to serve," she said. "So I came back to Wakefield Primary as a teacher ... moved up the ranks, before retiring as principal," said Forbes, who served as an educator for 44 years.

Forbes also served as Sabbath schoolteacher and deacon at the Wakefield Seventh-day Baptist Church. She has also dedicated her time to the people of the region as a justice of the peace since 1996.

"The expectations of the justice are constantly expanding," she said. "Some days I am overwhelmed with requests from residents, there is no day that there is not a knock on my door requesting the service of a justice."

Forbes, who lives at home with one of her four children, Joy, says she longs for the days when Wakefield would get back to what it was like in earlier years.

"I would love to see the community centre revert to the days when youngsters could go there and develop skills. This would make young people become involved in meaningful activities," she said.