Name: Alison Durose
Age: 80 but I look a lot less
Have you always lived in FNQ? I came here from Sydney in 1984. I have also lived in New Zealand and Canada
What is your volunteer role: I worked on the information desk but I’ve also worked at Ironman, raffles, etc. I love to embroider face washers and hand towels for the craft stall.
How long have you been volunteering with us? 15 years
How did you come to start volunteering with us? There was an advertisement in the Cairns Post
What is your star sign? Pisces
What are your interests, hobbies, past-times? Machine embroidery, travelling in the camper, sewing. I met my husband in Sydney at a square dance. Square dancing in
Cairns has now closed down. We loved attending dance weekends and conventions in most states and Innisfail, Townsville, the Tablelands etc. We have also attended
conventions in Calgary, Vancouver and Halifax. The North Americans were impressed with my white dress with boomerangs appliqued around the skirt.
Tell us about your family – kids, grandkids, great grandkids? I have one stepson
What did you do before leaving the workforce? I was a legal secretary/conveyancing clerk. At the legal office, I used to sometimes sit on a wooden box in the strongroom if I
needed to check a lease or a will. One Tuesday in November the box was opened up and inside was the Melbourne Cup, insured for $800!! I had been using it as a stool!
What do you enjoy about volunteering with us? My husband says it is the ideal job for me ie: telling people where to go!
Do you have any funny tales about volunteering with us?Two young blokes were looking for their workmate. When I asked his name so I could look him up they said: “Bluey”. I asked if he had a real name. “Probably”. They rang work and found out his real name.
