Gary Hipworth

Many years ago I arrived in Australia as an 11 year old ‘Ten Pound Pom’.  It was to begin a new life with my mum, but it did not start well as Sunshine East State School in Victoria was not the most refined educational establishment in the state.  Because I ‘spoke funny’, I often went home a little worse for wear, and my single mum was a tad concerned that her little boy was being treated so badly.

There was one bright light in all this, another kid in the class took me under his wing and taught me how to kick a ‘drop kick’ with this funny shaped ball and at last I started to fit in with the crowd.  I have become a passionate Aussie and follower of Australian football.  I have always remembered this guy in my class who transformed a really tough time into a lifetime of looking for the best in people and just simply being accepted.

This guy was Gary Hipworth.

Over the years I have travelled widely and spoken in many forums on inspirational topics and have often used this narrative of ‘doing more for others’ as an illustration that it is far better to do things for others and in a sense put others first, because often that is where the rewards of life come from.

50 years later I came across Gary and we had a couple of phone calls and whereas I have talked about Gary and his good deeds all over Australia and the UK in presentations where I have used his name and I still have our school photo with this 11-12 year old in his check jacket with a shock of hair, falling over his face; but when I told him my story; which has been very big in my life, he did not even remember me.  It was a bit of a shock but I now realise that he did this not for any reward or because I was special, he did it because he was a just a good bloke.

Thanks Gary and I wish you well in all that you do.  You certainly changed my life and my experience; starting at Sunshine East Primary School.

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