Latest News

10 Sep

NATIONAL POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY/BLUE RIBBON DAY MEMORIAL SERVICES 2024

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

10.00am, Friday 27 September

We invite all police members (past and present), their families and the Victorian community to join the official march and service for National Police Remembrance Day.

The march (step-off) and parade will start at 10am from Princes Bridge, St Kilda Road.

The parade will move along St Kilda Road to the Victoria Police Memorial, King’s Domain, Melbourne.

A service will follow from 10.20am at the Victoria Police Memorial, Kings Domain.

2.00pm, Friday 27 September

Boroondarah Police Complex

34 Harp Road, Kew East 3102

11.00am Thursday 26 September

Club Italia

128-152 Furlong Road, Sunshine

Guests are requested to arrive by 10.45am for the 11.00 start

Refreshments will follow the Service.

9.00am Saturday 28 September

Bannockburn Police Station (in front of station)

51 High Street, Bannockburn 3331

END OF DAY REFLECTION SERVICE

4pm, Friday 27 September

Springvale Botanical Cemetery

Victoria Police Memorial – Cnr Fifth & Sixth Roads

Outdoor Ceremony followed by refreshments

10.00AM Friday 27 September

Rosebud RSL Club

117 Eastbourne Road, Rosebud

Police Memorial Service followed by light refreshments

11.00am Monday 30 September

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

47 High Street, Ararat

Refreshment after the Service

11.30am Thursday 26 September

St Pauls Anglican Church

1309 Sturt Street, Ballarat

Central Victoria Police Remembrance Day Service

10.00am Friday 27 September

St Paul’s Anglican Church

4 Myers Street, Bendigo

Police members & Veterans wishing to march:

March will commence from Williamson/ Myer’s Intersection.

Form up point: 10 Myers Street by 9.45am

March will commence promptly at 10am.

10.30am Monday 30 September

Peter & St Paul Catholic Church

Cnr Mercer & Malone Streets, Geelong

All are welcome.

10.30am Friday 27 September

Monash Park (cnr Fryers Street & Welsford Street)

Refreshments following the Service.

10.00am Friday 27 September

Hamilton Performing Arts Centre

113 Brown Street, Hamilton

10.00AM Friday 27 September

St Michael and Johns Catholic Church

10 Roberts Avenue, Horsham

Refreshments following the Service.

11.00am Thursday 26 September

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

259 Eleventh Street, Mildura 3500

10.00am Friday 27 September

Front of the Mansfield Police Station

10.30am Friday 27 September

St Paul’s Cathedral

149 Cunningham Street, Sale

11.30am Friday 27 September

Traralgon Uniting Church

19 Park Lane, Traralgon

11.00 am Friday 27 September

Old Police Station Memorial

Gilles Street, South West Warrnambool

(Behind the TAFE College)

10.30am Friday 27 September

Sacred Heart Church

285 Beechworth Road, Wodonga

04 Sep

Spirit of Sport celebrates Ararat’s fairest and best

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

The presentation of the Blue Ribbon ‘Spirit of Sport’ Awards at Richardson Oval, Ararat to a ‘fairest and best’ from each of the four participating teams during the year of the Association.

L/R: Back – Ararat Branches Kate Gleeson, Ararat Police – Snr Constable Shaun NORTH and 1st Constable Jason Mc GRATH and Front –   Logan SEWELL/Bombers, Alana MATULICK/Mounties, Archie FRASER/Rovers and Toby RAMELA-MATTHEWS/Warriors
20 Aug

Victoria Police and National Golf Clubs Donate $6,000 to Blue Ribbon Foundation

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

The Victoria Police Golf Club and the National Golf Club made a generous donation today of $6,000 to the Blue Ribbon Foundation before start of play in their special charity Golf Day.

Blue Ribbon Foundation CEO, Neil Soullier travelled down to the famous Cape Schank location to receive the cheque and to thank all those involved for their generosity in making this donation possible. 

This donation will directly benefit the foundation’s work of installing new and improved medical facilities in Victoria’s public hospitals named in memory of Victoria Police members who have died in the line of duty. Remembering lives by savings others.

13 Aug

Blue Ribbon Foundation commits to funding anaesthetic machine

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

Pictured L-R, Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch members Jodie Holwell and Stuart Kerr with EGHS Perioperative Unit Acting Manager Judi Debney, Lyndee and Michael Bond, Ararat Branch President Dianne Radford and EGHS Chief Executive CEO Nick Bush.

The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch presented a cheque for $40,000 to East Grampians Health Service as part of its commitment to the purchase of a new anaesthetic machine.

The $114,070 anaesthetic machine will be used in the EGHS Jason Bond Perioperative Unit.

The upgrade of the Perioperative Unit was funded by the Ararat Branch in 2015 and included a redesign and refurbishment of the theatre recovery and day procedure unit. It was named in memory of local young man Jason Bond, a police officer in training, who died as a result of a motor vehicle accident in 2011.

The donation, which primarily came from the proceeds of the recent successful Gala Night, is the first instalment in the anaesthetic machine project, with the Branch expecting to make another donation following next year’s Grampians ‘Ride to Remember’ in February.

Ararat Branch president Dianne Radford said the branch was pleased to be able to present the first instalment towards the anaesthetic machine.

“Since the Ararat Branch of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation was formed 22 years ago, we have donated more than $1 million to East Grampians Health Service, of which our volunteer committee is very proud,” Mrs Radford said.

“The anaesthetic machine is a vital piece of equipment for the Perioperative Unit, and we are very pleased to donate this equipment to the unit named in honour of Jason Bond.”

The anaesthetic machine is used for anaesthetic purposes for every patient who has a procedure in theatre. 

The purpose of the anaesthetic machine is for the safe administration of anaesthetic gases, including oxygen, medical air, Nitrous and the actual anaesthetic agents. It also allows for the safe and effective monitoring of the anaesthetised patient at all times throughout their anaesthetic journey.

The anaesthetic machine acts as the lungs for the anaesthetised patient, with the ability to administer the correct amounts of medication required for that patient to have their surgery, in a safe and controlled environment.

EGHS chief executive Nick Bush thanked the Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch for the first instalment towards, and generous support of, the anaesthetic machine project.“With the support and dedication of the Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat branch, partners, businesses, organisations and everyone who annually supports the Ararat Branch’s fundraising efforts, we are able to provide state of the art equipment and facilities for our community,” Mr Bush said.

06 Aug

Maryborough’s new public Hospital takes shape

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

CEO, Neil Soullier travelled to Maryborough to look over the construction of Maryborough’s new public hospital, which is coming along at a blistering pace. We had an opportunity for a walk through and were particularly interested in the location of the new Urgent Care Centre (UCC), which will continue to be named in memory of Senior Constable Maurice Moore, who was killed in the line of duty at Maryborough in September 1986.

Back in 2016 the Moore family, our Maryborough Branch and dozens of tradespeople and suppliers combined to rebuild the outdated UCC in the current hospital. It truly was an incredible show of community spirit and generosity, so we’re pleased that S/C Moore’s memory will continue to live on for many years to come.

Our tour was arranged with the Victorian Health Building Authority and our thanks to Project Director, Darko Jagic for his support and assistance. We and the Moore family – Heather, Kathryn, Paul & Stephen will be working over coming weeks with the VHBA around designs for the new memorial recognition pieces.

23 Jul

GIVING BACK TO THE POMONAL COMMUNITY

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

A cheque for $20,000 was recently presented by Blue Ribbon/Ararat to the Pomonal Tennis Club being from your recent generosity to the “Giving Back to the Pomonal Community”.

Following conversations that included Ararat Rural City, Blue Ribbon/Ararat and the Pomonal community it was unanimously agreed that the $20,000 would be donated to the Pomonal Tennis Club who were eager to upgrade the tennis court area which very much needs repair work to be playable again.

The enthusiasm of the Tennis Club members certainly has been heartwarming and with significant financial support confirmed from Ararat Rural City via Mayor Bob Sanders who was in attendance, your contributions plus applying for a funding grant will see when completed an area that will accommodate tennis, netball and pickleball plus perhaps a few enhancing amenities to create an infrastructure community wellbeing space that will benefit the whole of the Pomonal Community and beyond.

The donation will go towards rebuilding infrastructure that was destroyed by the February ’24 bushfires. The precinct, which also includes the cricket ground, hall and Men’s Shed is where we have the Grampians Ride to Remember morning tea.

Representatives of Blue Ribbon/Ararat & our Grampians “Ride” Sub Committee, Ararat Rural City (Mayor Bob Sander on right), Ararat RSL and Pomonal Tennis Club members.
12 Jul

Maryborough Giants VS Navarre Football/Netball Blue Ribbon Games

Posted by: Blue Ribbon Foundation

The Maryborough Giants and Navarre Football/Netball clubs recently hosted games in support of the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

The day honoured Senior Constable Maurice Moore who was killed while on duty in 1986.

His granddaughter Keeley, who usually plays football for the Giants but has a broken hand, presented the medals and while the day was cold and wet everyone wore their armbands and medals with pride.

Giants C Grade wearing the Blue Ribbon armbands proudly

Keeley Moore presents Under 14.5s Navarre player Michael Ador-Kongor with a Blue Ribbon medal. Stephen Moore (Maurice Moore’s son) awards a medal to Under 17s winner Cale Wright. Under 11.5s winner Angus Broad getting congratulated after the presentations.

25 Jun

Win $250K First Prize for supporting a good cause

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson


Win a go-anywhere $250K First Prize Pack!

Have you heard? The new Play For Purpose Raffle is now open!

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Don’t miss your chance to win it all with a $10 ticket today!

Enter the Raffle through the Play For Purpose link below:

https://www.playforpurpose.com.au/victoria-police-blue-ribbon/

Raffle 24 closes 8pm AEST on Thursday, 12 September 2024 and will be drawn and announced on Friday, 13 September 2024

06 Jun

Spirit of Sport Awards

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

L/R Ararat Branch represented by Jess Seres, Shaun Allen & Kate Gleeson

Last Sunday (2/6) the Ararat Branch partnered with the Ararat & District 13 Football Association to conduct the Blue Ribbon – Spirit of Sport Awards to a recipient of each of the four teams and though chilly it was a great day, not only for us, the young footballers (mixed) but the involvement of our local police as the umpires for the day did a mighty job in very chilly conditions. Pleasingly the umpires were again led by Sgt Shane Allgood who has led the umpiring team so many years.

L/R Vic Police (Ararat) Shane Allgood, Shaun North and a Jodee Nuske
21 May

Tim Campbell returns to Ararat Gala Night 2024

Posted by: Neville Wilkinson

Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell, one of most versatile and much loved entertainers and avid Blue Ribbon supporter is returning to Ararat for our 2024 Gala Night. 

When he’s not Dancing With the Stars or entertaining on Channel 9’s Carols By Candlelight, Tim is performing the classic 70s and 80s dance floor hits with his band from his ARIA top 30 and iTunes top 10 album High School Disco, traveling around the country in concert and at special events. 

Tim is certainly a star of both stage and screen from leading television roles, hosting national prime TV shows and lead roles in stage shows. 

Also appearing, Darrell “Mud” Madex is a local favourite and will be part of the supporting entertainment first up, then later in night will be joined by his talented sons Jake and Mitchell Madex to present the Mudda’s and will have you dancing the night way. 

Location: Ararat Town Hall 
Date: 31 May 2024 
Time: 7pm 

The Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation – Ararat Branch “Gala Night” is a major fundraising with all proceeds from this year’s event directed towards a new project for East Grampians Health Service (Ararat Hospital).

@Blue Ribbon