Laurie’s Legacy in Volunteering for Community

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Written By Patricia Higgins
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Laurie Wood

The late local qualified Justice of the Peace (JP) Laurie Wood, affectionately known as Roo, served as a shining example of the significance of volunteer services in the community through his work and other activities.  

Mr Wood (husband to June Wood, father of two and grandfather to three) passed away during a yard clean-up in preparation for Cyclone Alfred, leaving a rich legacy built on his contributions to the community – not only as a JP but also in several other roles. 

According to June Wood, Mr Wood served as a volunteer for more than 20 years as a JP at the Redcliffe courthouse, was a member of the Redcliffe Inc Lions Club, a Club Scout leader in Redcliffe (and for a period of time, treasurer), a founder of the Redcliffe Refugee Resettlement Scheme and a finalist for Australian Citizen of the Year.

Recognising the Quiet Champions of Community Justice

With National Volunteer Week occurring in the third week of May, the time could not be more appropriate to acknowledge the contributions of JPs and CDECs (Commissioners for Declarations) in benefiting both individuals and organisations.  

Since there are so many various kinds of volunteers doing so many worthwhile tasks across the board, these types of administrative volunteers are sometimes overlooked and the extensive scope of their work isn’t always known.  

Alongside his duties in witnessing documents and signing arrest warrants for police (who would often call after hours), Mr Wood was also a mentor for many other newly appointed and existing JPs – providing personalised guidance based on his wealth of practical insights.   

Mr Wood acted as a responsible adult for children in the court system who weren’t able to have their parents or caregivers attend proceedings, as well as performing many home visits, palliative care visits and other compassionate undertakings.  

He was also available for JP services involving non-ambulatory individuals and those with disabilities in the community.  

“If Laurie took up anything, he was in it wholeheartedly,” Mrs Wood said.  

Find more information on JPS and CDECs here.

Learn about National Volunteer Week here.

Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:

Science on the Move  

Step Into a Multiverse at Anywhere Festival Moreton Bay 

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Written By Patricia Higgins

Patricia Higgins has extensive experience in writing, from being published across many media platforms right down to the day-to-day of meeting individual client demands. Since a young age, Patricia has been passionate about telling stories. It was an interest that would inevitably translate into her first (creatively-based) love for feature writing. Her innate curiosity and commitment to the craft enable her to uncover compelling tales that resonate with and successfully reach her target audience. Patricia has a degree in Journalism and Political Science and has worked in branding, marketing, and digital SEO content creation for many years. This writer and marketing professional, who lives on the beautiful Moreton Bay Peninsula, is wholly invested in sharing regional issues, events, and human interest stories. She values the spirit of collaboration and intends to use her writing to give back to the community.

Read more articles by Patricia Higgins

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In the spirit of reconciliation, the Redcliffe Guide acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.