The club is more than just a place to work for the local who was born and bred in Crookwell.

Her father, Colin George, was, like her, a bartender, picking up weekend shifts at the bar about 40 years ago.

When she was 22, she poured her first beer at the Commercial Hotel.

After a few years she moved to The Criterion Hotel, and in 1993, began at the RSL Club. 

She recalled the nerves she felt when pouring her first beer, but by the end of her first shift as a bartender, she joked, she had “worked it all out”.

In 1995, she organised her wedding reception at the club for her marriage to husband Chris.

She was pregnant with her daughter Heidi, now 21 and a fellow colleague, when working at the club.

She recalled a time where clubs were filled with smoke and pokie machines only accepted 5,10 or 20 cent coins.

She had witnessed her friends enter the club, and now their children.

She said she enjoyed “the interaction with customers” the most.

“There’s lots of stories to hear,” she said.

“It’s a bit like [being] a hairdresser: you just listen to what they say.

“When you’re socialising and get paid for it, it can’t be so bad.”

Crookwell RSL manager April Flannery said Ms Chudleigh was a reliable and bubbly staff member.

She got along and had a laugh with everyone,” Ms Flannery said.

“She has seen the club through the tough years and the good years forming relationships with some of our longest standing members.

“[She] is from a large family in the area and in my experience here I have found that this contributes to the club’s culture and sense of community for our members, which is important.

“Our club is here to support the community and, in this case, three generations from the same Crookwell family.”

When asked how long she would be at the club, Ms Chudleigh answered readily, with a smile:

“If I’m still capable, another 40 years … when I’m coming on 70.”