Throughout his life, Bill has had a passion for connecting with others.
For the last two decades, he has volunteered at Very Special Kids, who provide holistic palliative care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions.
“When you’ve got a child with a life-threatening illness, it brings an enormous amount of challenge to life,” said Bill, a resident in Ryman Healthcare’s Weary Dunlop Retirement Village.
“But the real heroes are the children themselves.”
Volunteering has given Bill a deep sense of fulfilment, keeping him engaged and connected to his community. He had worked for Australia Post for four decades.
“It takes your mind away from yourself and into the community,” he says.
In addition to his work with Very Special Kids, Bill serves as an Independent Person and a Justice of the Peace.
An Independent Person supports young offenders who don’t have a parent or guardian to help them navigate the legal process.
“Some of the things these young people do are shocking and hurtful, but it’s no good just saying they should get a kick in the tail – you’ve got to do something to break the cycle,” Bill explains.
Bill finds joy and purpose in roles that many would find confronting.
His love for the community has also helped him through the most challenging times in his life.
When his wife Glynnis was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, they decided to move into the retirement village to access better care.
Bill was grateful that Glynnis could receive the support she needed and that he could share meals with her every day when she moved to the care centre.
Moving into the village also helped Bill integrate seamlessly into a new community, where he quickly made new friends.
He is a regular at happy hour, where he runs the raffle and usually treats the crowd to his latest, long-winded dad joke.