Helping hand: Bill Dumbrell, 76, has dedicated his life to being a volunteer for Fairfield. Picture: Wesley Lonergan
FAIRFIELD City should consider itself blessed with volunteers like Bill Dumbrell.
The selfless man has dedicated his life to the city for 30 years.
The 76-year-old had until recently lived in Fairfield for 46 years.
He held an exhaustive list of titles in that time.
Until he retired, his day job as a plumber was combined with being a volunteer for Peer Support for Youth in Custody at Fairfield local area command, being the inaugural president of Carramar Public School council, co-ordinator of Neighbourhood Watch in Fairfield, and president and vice-president of the 203 Army Cadet Unit support committee.
Although he's put those days behind him, there's one role he still holds.
Mr Dumbrell has been Fairfield RSL Club sub-branch secretary for nine years.
He's been responsible for organising Anzac Day events and Remembrance Day services.
But he's reluctantly resigning on February 25.
"It's going to be hard, very hard to let it go," he said.
"It's kept me sane."
He's focusing on his health, now he's moved to an aged-care centre in Greystanes.
"I had prostate cancer 10 years ago but the cancer decided to play up again last year," he said.
"But I'm not giving up yet."
He said there'd been nothing more rewarding than being a volunteer.
"It was a good time and I really enjoyed what I did," he said.
"Self-satisfaction is what I get out of it. That's it. And I can sleep easy at night knowing I've done good for the community."
He stressed the need for more volunteers.
"I'm disappointed at how difficult it is to find volunteers," he said.
"So if you have the time, get out and do it because if there are no volunteers, the city may as well shut its doors."