▁invol vement ▁with ▁the ▁Play ground ▁Association ▁and ▁the ▁Cr è che ▁and ▁Kinder g arten ▁Association . ▁She ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St ▁S ava ▁for ▁her ▁services ▁as ▁an ▁amb ul ance ▁driver ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Mary ▁Joseph ine ▁Bed ford ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁in ▁England . ▁In ▁her ▁student ▁days , ▁she ▁shared ▁accommod ation ▁with ▁L ilian ▁Cooper , ▁who ▁became ▁her ▁lif el ong ▁friend ▁and ▁companion . ▁They ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁Br is b ane ▁together ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁ ▁Phil anth ropy ▁ ▁The ▁Play ground ▁Association ▁in ▁Queensland ▁was ▁formed ▁with ▁the ▁practical ▁intention ▁of ▁prom oting ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁children ' s ▁play ground s ▁and ▁recre ation ▁cent res ▁in ▁districts ▁of ▁pover ty ▁and ▁high ▁density . ▁Also ▁the ▁Association ▁worked ▁towards ▁assuming ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁par ks ▁and ▁providing ▁trained ▁super vis ors ▁who ▁were ▁to ▁direct ▁play ▁and , ▁through ▁this , ▁to ▁inst il ▁the ▁values ▁of ▁courage , ▁hon esty ▁and ▁consideration ▁in ▁the ▁children . ▁The ▁super vis ors ▁were ▁also ▁to ▁look ▁after ▁the ▁play ground ▁libraries , ▁teach ▁hand ▁work ▁and ▁also ▁to ▁l ia ise ▁with ▁the ▁children ' s ▁homes . ▁The ▁Association ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁full ▁social ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁child ▁and ▁saw ▁the ▁less ons ▁lear nt ▁during ▁play ▁as ▁an ▁adj unct ▁to ▁the ▁less ons ▁the ▁children ▁studied ▁in ▁their