Phyll’s home the heart of Leopold Red Cross as she hits 50 years

PHYLL Serpell’s home has been the centre of Leopold’s Red Cross for the past few decades, where locals know they can go to for assistance or help.

Phyll started volunteering with the Red Cross back in 1970 when she was just 31 years old, and last week received the Laurel Wreath for 50 years’ service.

This latest award follows a Distinguished Services Award in 2011, Award of Merit in 1993 and a commendation in 1989.
When asked what the Laurel Wreath meant to her, Phyll joked that, “Most people just don’t realise how important I am!”

Phyll said she inherited her passion for the Red Cross from her mum, Pat Pullin, who received a Guild Rosette for 60 years’ service. She passed away at age 105.

Phyll recalled her involvement in the Red Cross Calling door knock when she used to organise the fundraiser from Moolap Station Road down to Grubb Road, including Wallington.

“We had more than 100 people door knocking towards the end, but then the town got too big and I couldn’t organise it anymore, so then we sat at the shopping centres and collected, but I think they are phasing that out now,” she said.

“And especially in the last two years due to COVID we haven’t been able to do it.”

Phyll also volunteered in emergency care, which started after Ash Wednesday… “back before everything got highly political”.

“We had six chiefs and about 40 Indians, and if anybody, usually the firies, needed feeding, we had a list and would ring one of the chiefs who would then go down the list of Indians and get a crew of six or something together and go off and do their thing,” she said.

“But these days Red Cross insists you have to be accredited to make a sandwich and for whatever else you do, so we have lost a lot of people on the way.”

Phyll said she used to set up a lot of first aid posts, such as at pony club events in Geelong, and help lost kids find their parents on Gala Day.

She has also written for the Leopold Local for quite a lot of years, and always with humour.

Red Cross officials were meant to attend the Leopold Unit’s latest Annual General Meeting at St Mark’s Church last Wednesday, but due to COVID and restricted numbers, was cancelled.

Phyll joked that she preferred the meetings at her place though, because then “once a month the lounge room gets vacuumed”.