A true hero of the community
Ross Walker epitomised the Man for everyone in the community . From the first time I met him , in 1976 , until his death , I never ceased to be amazed at the number and breadth of his contacts and interests , across the community .
I worked extremely closely with him during his membership of the ACT Mental Health and Guardian Tribunals ( 1995-2008 ). His ability to come forward with an effective and practical solution to any problem that arose was second to none . He would commonly deliver friendly advice to clients and their families at the tribunal hearings that was both valuable and timely .
Ross was the moving spirit in the formation of the Richmond Fellowship ACT , from the Outreach organisation , in which he played a pivotal role . He remained Vice Chairman and a tireless worker for Richmond Fellowship ACT until his death . He also maintained contact with Richmond Fellowship organisations in many countries , including the United Kingdom and India . The Richmond Fellowship today operates in more than 25 countries .
Ross remained a close friend and ally of Elly Jansen , the distinguished founder of the Richmond Fellowship . When Ross endeavoured to form a Richmond Fellowship of Australia , that organisation conducted a number of significant national projects . My contact with him covers only a small percentage of his community activities . Knowing Ross , he would have played a leadership role in the workface of the myriad groups with which he worked . His networks knew no bounds .
– Ron Cahill OAM
Photo by Brian Rope
St Margaret ’ s News 3 RWL Special Issue