Graham Dickinson was the type of man who enjoyed helping others.
He was heavily involved in the Gisborne community, with his volunteer roles spanning tourism, human rights and religion.
On Monday 26 January, his service to the Gisborne community was posthumously recognised when he was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Graham died 11 December, 2024.
His wife, Margaret, said he would have been proud – and surprised – to receive such an honour.
“He was very modest,” she said, “but I think he would have been proud because he was that sort of person”.
The couple moved to Gisborne in 2002, swapping the leafy streets of Armadale for the tranquil setting of Gisborne to be closer to their daughter following the birth of their grandson.
While Graham’s work took them to live in Singapore for a while, they returned to Gisborne and Graham threw himself into roles in the community.
“He was very big with the Anglican Church and that is how he got to meet people,” Margaret said.
“That’s how I met him, through St John’s Church in South Yarra.”
Graham was an active member of the St Paul’s Anglican Church congregation in Gisborne serving on the church committee and volunteering at its op shop.
It was through the church that he became involved in the Office of the Public Advocate, Margaret said, recalling that a fellow parishioner was involved with the human rights organisation and suggested that Graham consider joining.
Graham spent about 10 years as a community visitor for the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA), helping to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of people with disability.
Through this role he visited accommodation facilities for people with disability or mental illness to monitor and report on the adequacy of the services provided to ensure patients were being treated with dignity and respect.
He also served as a convenor for the OPA.
Graham was also involved in the GREAT (Gisborne Region Events Activities and Tourism) Association from 2011 to 2021.
Margaret said she couldn’t recall how Graham became involved with GREAT, concluding that he “must have known somebody”.
“That’s how he became involved in most things,” she said.
“He was very friendly.”
Margaret said she believed Graham’s love for being around people was what drove him to volunteer.
“He liked to be with people and helping people,” she said.
