General News
3 July, 2024
Government House date for commitment to Red Cross
Horsham Red Cross branch volunteers Annette Jardine and Joan Leyonhjelm have received Red Cross Victorian Service Awards recognising their contribution to emergency services.
The pair were recently honoured at Government House in Melbourne for their enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to Red Cross.
Ms Jardine joined Red Cross Emergency Services as a volunteer in 2010. She was involved in a Mildura storm response in 2015, support in Queensland after tropical cyclone Debbie in 2017, the south-west fires at Terang in 2019, the Bunyip fires recovery support in 2019, Inner Grampians outreach support in 2021 and support to Queensland for a major rain event in 2022.
During some of these incidents Ms Jardine was a team leader responsible for supporting a team on site.
Ms Leyonhjelm joined as a branch member in 1978 and became an emergency services volunteer in 2001.
She has held many positions at the branch, including zone chair from September 2010 to June 2011.
She was also the deputy emergency liaison officer as an emergency services volunteer.
Ms Leyonhjelm was involved in emergencies including the Victorian flood event at Horsham and Natimuk, providing outreach support in 2011, and a Horsham house fire in 2018.
They both were involved in the Horsham Relief Centre for the Grampians northern complex fires in 2014, support for the Queensland monsoon in 2019, a bus crash at Horsham in 2019 and the East Gippsland fires at Mallacoota in 2020.
They have also participated in the Pillowcase Preparedness program, visiting schools and showing children how to prepare for an emergency.