This week, together with our Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat branch and East Grampians Health we hosted a Police Memorial Dedication Ceremony in Ararat to honour the life and service of fallen police members with medical facilities dedicated in their honour.

The ceremony featured the dedication of the new Blue Ribbon Foundation Wing of East Grampians Health Service (Ararat Hospital), which includes the Medical Imaging and Pathology Departments, which houses the new x-ray machine funded by the Ararat branch. The wing was dedicated in honour of the 175 Victoria Police officers who have died in the line of duty.  During the ceremony we re-dedicated previous memorial projects with the unveiling of new plaques which will feature at the hospital including the Urgent Care Centre, Emergency Helicopter Landing Pad and Medical Imaging Dept named in honour of Sergeant John McNally and the Perioperative Unit named in honour of Police Recruit Jason Bond.

The ceremony also included a special tribute to Terry Weeks APM OAM for his 20 years leadership of the Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat branch. Terry’s wife Pauline and their family unveiled a special tribute plaque that will be mounted at the Ararat Hospital in his honour.

We thank the eight serving and veteran police members who read the names of the 175 Victoria Police officers who have died in the line of duty, this was an emotional and moving part of the ceremony.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch committee together with their volunteers and with amazing support from the local community and sponsors have given their time and resources over 21 years to raise an incredible $1 million to honour fallen Victoria Police members and support their local community hospital services. Their commitment to ‘Remembering Lives by Saving others’ has enabled this Dedication and contribution to East Grampians health to occur.

We thank the Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, East Grampians Health, Ararat Rural Council, local police members, the Weeks, Bond and Moore families and all our special guests that supported this dedication.