When the Beaudesert Local Ambulance Committee was seeking another volunteer in 1992, Alwyn Todd did not hesitate to put his hand up.
“I just felt I could do it I suppose, at the time,” he said.
Little did Mr Todd know he would end up holding the position of Local Ambulance Committee combined Secretary/ Treasurer for 30 years.
Mr Todd, who will be 90 this April, decided to hang up his hat after three decades in 2022 and was recognised with a Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation for his valued service.
He also received a celebratory plaque, a pin and a chiming mantle clock.
Mr Todd was working full-time as Administrator of Wongaburra when he took up the voluntary role of Local Ambulance Committee Secretary/ Treasurer.
“Dr Michael Glover was Secretary and wrote to Wongaburra asking if they would provide a representative to go on the committee. I was administrator at Wongaburra at that time and was nominated for the position. I went to the first meeting in February 1992 and Dr Glover resigned so I had the job, not realising I’d have it for 30 years,” he said.
“It was an interesting role, and occasionally we’d have somebody from the head office of the Queensland Ambulance Service come and tell us about things. I think the ambulance service is having more difficulty now, with the ramping up at hospitals and I think the drug problem is a lot worse now than it was 30 years ago.”
He said it had been an honour to serve in the position and he was grateful to get to know other locals through their time together on the committee.
“The role of the committee, really, is to be a liaison between the community and the ambulance service, and the other objective is to raise funds,” he said.
“We were in the very fortunate position that we didn’t ever need to raise any funds, because about 35 or 40 years ago now a man from near Brisbane, in his will, left a large sum of money to Beaudesert Local Ambulance Committee.
“We have invested that money and we’re able to use the interest to purchase equipment for staff and to send people on conferences. So, we never needed to go into fundraising as the previous QATB (Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade) did through chocolate wheels at the show and campdrafts and those sorts of things.”
