Community radio mainstay honoured

KEN Jones has lived a life.

Originally from Wangaratta, after losing his right arm and leg in a motorbike accident 50 years ago, he continued a career in telecommunications against all odds.

He raised three children with his wife Anne, and has been a dedicated volunteer for many years.

Mr Jones is a popular long-time compere on Strathdale’s Phoenix FM 106.7 Community Radio, formerly sat on its committee of management and is an honorary life member of the station.

He’s also been a part of Vinnies’ Compeer Friendship Program, which links adults living with a diagnosed mental illness with people in the community, and presented to groups as part of the Road Trauma Support Service.

He still presents a weekly radio show on Phoenix FM, In Bed with Ken, from his aged care home, which airs at midday on Mondays.

For service to the community of Bendigo, Mr Jones has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours.

A slightly “reluctant” awardee, Mr Jones said he tries to highlight the benefits of volunteering everywhere in the community.

“It keeps you in touch with people,” he said.

“Phoenix is a great place for people to go, there’s lots and lots of wonderful people there, it’s excellent.

“It gives people an avenue if they’ve got a not-for-profit business and they want to get their message out, and there’s (also) a lot of regular homebound (listeners) who ring in for requests and have a chat.

“They really look forward to listening to the presenters, they talk about them as if they’re family.

“I had my 70th birthday here (at the home) back in August and a couple of them turned up to see me.

“That was just terrific.”

Ken’s wife Anne said he takes each day as it comes and does as much as he can for other people.

“That sums up what he’s been like over the years, really,” she said.

“When he had his accident at the age of 21, he could have just sat in a corner and done nothing, but he got himself up and going and kept on working as long as he could.

“We had our kids and now we’ve got grandchildren and it’s amazing. They didn’t think twice about the fact that Ken only had one arm and leg.

“He drove the car, he went to work and the radio station. Life’s been pretty normal.”