Background to the initiative
The initiative is named in honour of John Richards, 2007 recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for “service to the community of the Moira Shire, particularly as a contributor to health sector development, and to the newsagency industry through the Victorian Authorised Newsagents Association.”
John Richards, a former jackaroo, soldier and farmer, was the inaugural president of the Yarrawonga District Health Service board of management, and from there was instrumental in the establishment of the Moira Healthcare Alliance. He was President of the Alliance from 2002 to 2005, and remains on the board.
Among numerous health and community related positions, he was also a member of the Rural and Regional Council of the Victorian Healthcare Association from 2001 to 2006. In recognition of his active community involvement he was named Yarrawonga Citizen of the Year in 2004 and received the Rural Health Volunteers Award, Hume Region, from the Department of Human Services Victoria in 2005.
John Richards’ vision to support aged care in country Victoria has been backed by a generous donation which has enabled the establishment of the Research Initiative into Aged Care in Rural and Regional Communities at the Albury-Wodonga campus of La Trobe University.