Could this be Australia's oldest hospital volunteer?

Anyone walking down the busy corridors of the Prince of Wales Hospital on Tuesday mornings might be forgiven for missing the slight, beautifully dressed lady walking purposefully to work. Vi Robbins is one of Coogee's best known characters.

Vi was born in 1902 when the Prince of Wales hospital was still the Randwick Asylum for destitute children and just before the Wright Brothers took their first flight. She has lived in Coogee most of her life and people frequently stop her to say hello as she walks to the shops. Besides her clerical work at the hospital, she is also in her 49th year as an active member of the Randwick branch of the fundraising organisation Soroptimist International.

Her daughter Gail, who is also a volunteer in the Prince of Wales Wig Library said Vi was always among the first to volunteer for any fundraising and she has worked tirelessly for various community organisations including Coogee Public School P & C and Alcoholics Anonymous. She recalls Vi telling her about a visit to an old people's home in Malabar. "She told me she felt sorry for the residents and that she should visit them more often," said Gail. "I thought that was amusing because most of the residents would have been at least 20 years younger than her!"

Vi puts her continuing vitality down to a healthy life. She never learned to drive so she had to walk a lot and she has never smoked and only drinks on social occasions. Eventually however, she did get a little arthritis at 96 and had a cataract operation two years later. Now she still lives on her own, does most of her cooking and reads at least 15 library books a month.

Three years ago she found herself with "a bit of time on my hands", and discovered that the Prince of Wales Hospital was short of volunteers. "I love working there, there's always something new happening and everyone's so bright and friendly," she said.

As for her age she says she rarely thinks about it. "I've been lucky, I've had a wonderful life and I intend to keep on keeping on and enjoying it, she said.