Childers local Helen Dunn was recently recognised for 25 years of service as a volunteer Justice of the Peace (JP) in the local community.
Helen is one of the volunteers based at the Childers Library, offering a well-utilised JP service on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.30 to 11.30 am.
Queensland JPs are volunteers who undertake responsibilities like signing documents that require a qualified witness and handling minor court matters.
Helen, who previously volunteered at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Nambour Courthouse, said she started looking for somewhere to serve as a JP when she first moved to Childers three years ago.
“I was looking for somewhere to go and [someone] suggested I go to the library,” Helen said.
“I come in once a week and I love meeting all the people here.
“Not just locals but people who are travelling through and you hear a bit of their history.”
Helen said she first became a JP when she was running her own small business and people would stop in to ask where they could get documents signed.
“People would come to us because we were the only business in that area and so I just thought, why not?” she said.
“I like talking to people, listening to people.”
Helen said she found the role very rewarding and invited anyone interested in JP services to come along to the library and have a chat.
“I think we were always meant to come to Childers,” she said.
“I love the community; I love the people.
“They’re always friendly and always happy to have a smile… and that’s what it takes to make a nice community.”
Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General Deputy Registrar Paula Bould was on hand to deliver Helen’s certificate and highlighted the importance of local JP services.
“Twenty-five years is clearly a significant amount of time to be giving back to the community,” she said.
“There are 251 JP community signing sites and around 4 000 volunteers who man those sites and give their time.
“We have JP services from Coolangatta on the Gold Coast all the way up to the Torres Strait Islands and there are so many times during a person’s life cycle where they would need a JP.
“Some of those are really sensitive times in your life so it’s just really great to have someone in your community that you know and trust.”
