Mrs Radford said she was humbled by the award for helping the community in and around Ararat, which she said was “a great place to live”.

As the Ararat Rural City Council’s inaugural Australia Day Ararat Ambassador since January last year, Mrs Radford said she had been able to become even more familiar with the region’s community groups.

“I’ve been to numerous meetings and events as ambassador,” she said.

“I enjoyed it a great deal.”

Mrs Radford’s citation for her OAM included her services as:

As a fan of leaving a quick signature, Mrs Radford was amused to receive a letter informing her new official title.

“It said I could now put the letters OAM after my name,” she said.

“I had a little chuckle as whenever I’m signing anything I’m always in a hurry.”

Mrs Radford said she described herself as fortunate, a ‘behind-the-scenes person’ and a bit of a perfectionist.

“I have been very fortunate in whatever i have been able to do that’s been involved with the community, because I believe that we have a wonderful community in Ararat and district,” she said.

“It’s not just Ararat, it’s the whole district.

“We have a community who tend to embrace working for the community.

“I feel extremely honoured and humbled because whatever I have done has been because other people have been there to help me do it.”

Mrs Radford listed the helipad at Ararat’s hospital as one of the best things she worked towards and felt a jolt of emotion whenever she heard a medical evacuation helicopter fly over.

She was also proud of her work with Legacy to help 140 widows in the region.