COMMUNITY service is a way of life for two Hamilton men whose outstanding contributions have been recognised with Order of Australia medals.
Legal practitioner Mark Brian and musician Bob Henderson have been keeping their places on the Queen’s birthday honours list quiet since receiving the news last week.
The pair said they were humbled to receive recognition, with both acknowledging those who have supported their efforts to help others.
Mr Brian was founding chairman of The Hamilton and Alexandra College Foundation and served in that capacity between 1992 and 1997.
He remains a director of the foundation and was chairman of the college council between 1977 and 1987.
The Melville Orton and Lewis principal has also been president of Hamilton’s golf and lawn tennis clubs, and since 1978 has served as a trustee of the city’s art gallery trust fund.
In 2007 he was founding director of the South West Community Foundation and today chairs its governance and audit committee.
“I am only one of many,” Mr Brian said, adding that pro bono service was common among his professional colleagues.
“I understand 51 per cent of people in our district do voluntary work — it is all of them we should thank for our wonderful community.”
Mr Brian was born in Hamilton and grew up at Macarthur, leaving the south-west to study at Melbourne University and returning in 1966.
Joining him on the honours list is Mr Henderson, a multi-talented musician and philanthropist who for 10 years painstakingly crafted instruments.
The 90-year-old has played first violin with the Hamilton Symphony Orchestra since 2007 and is also a regular performer with the Good Shepherd College Band.
Instruments he has made have been donated to organisations including Orchestra Victoria, Angel Flight and the Australian Defence Force, along with local schools, the Hamilton hospital and individuals in need.
Mr Henderson has also raised funds and provided financial support for various medical causes and the Hamilton Men’s Shed.
He ran two music shops between 1946 and 1960, has written a book about his life and was named Southern Grampians Shire’s citizen of the year in 2007.
“(On learning of the Order of Australia medal) I thought, ‘Well, what have I done?’,” Mr Henderson said.
“Then I had a look through what I have done — I’ve been there and done it.”
The lifetime Hamilton resident said he relished sharing the joy of music.
“I think music is a great thing,” he said.
“If everybody played music, the world would be a far better place.”
Also awarded an Order of Australia medal was Peterborough’s James Ramsay Affleck for service to veterans and their families, particularly through the writing of military biographies.
Mr Affleck is a former president of Warrnambool Legacy from 2003 to 2004 and 2005 to 2006 and remains a board member.
He was a committee chairman of the National Conference of Legacy Clubs in 2005 and has been the editor of the Club Bulletin.
Mr Affleck has co-authored For King and Country: Great War enlistments from Warrnambool and district and No Staff for the Journey Save that of Courage and has been involved in the compilation of several books outlining military service of past students at several Geelong schools.
Email a friend