Canberra’s very own “Aunty Val” and 2022 Senior Australian of the Year, Valmai Dempsey, has been invited to represent Australia at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, AAP reports.
Valmai Dempsey, has dedicated more than 50 years of her life to helping others, was named the 2022 Senior Australian of the Year at a ceremony at the National Arboretum on 25 January.
She has devoted the past 61 of her 71 years to volunteering with the St John‘s ambulance service, to ensure Canberra is a healthy and safe community.
In 2021 alone, Aunty Val clocked over 600 hours of volunteer service by leading first-aid training sessions, providing support at local Canberra events and activities, and working with the Covid-19 response team.
“I have dedicated my life to assisting others in need and equip them with skills and confidence to be able to help others and deal with an emergency,” said Aunty Val when she was awarded the 2022 ACT Senior of the Year.
“As a nation, we can rethink our approach to those critical minutes between life and death at the scene of an accident and make community members part of the solution.”
- ACT’s Valmai Dempsey named 2022 Senior Australian of the Year
- ACT Senior of the Year dedicates her life to saving Canberrans
The Queen’s state funeral is set be held on Monday 19 September at 11am in Westminster Abbey in London.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the service and will meet with King Charles III while in London.
The prime minister confirmed the meeting on Tuesday when he announced the names of 10 “everyday Australians” – including Valmai Dempsey – who will represent the nation at Monday’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Mr Albanese said the 10 people represented each state and territory.
“The Australians who have been invited embody an extraordinary contribution to our nation,” he told reporters in Canberra today, Tuesday 13 September.
“We have made sure that all eight (jurisdictions), six state and two territories, are represented, that there is an appropriate breadth of Australians as part of the delegation.”
The 10 people will leave Australia for the funeral alongside Australia’s official delegation, which includes the prime minister and his partner Jodie Haydon, Governor-General David Hurley and his wife Linda, and Australia’s acting High Commissioner to the UK, Lynette Wood.
The 10 additional guests are:
- Dylan Alcott AO – 2022 Australian of the Year
- Valmai Dempsey – 2022 Senior Australian of the Year
- Shanna Whan – 2022 Australian of the Year Local Hero
- Saba Abraham – Local Hero 2022, Queensland
- Kim Smith APM – Local Hero 2022, Tasmania
- Trudy Lin – Young Australian of the Year 2022, South Australia
- Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM – 2021 Senior Australian of the Year
- Professor Helen Milroy – 2021 Western Australia Australian of the Year
- Danny Abdallah – Co-Creator of i4give Day and Foundation
- Chris Waller – Inductee, Australian Racing Hall of Fame
Mr Waller, the thoroughbred trainer of champion mare Winx, looked after many of the Queen’s horses and built a close relationship with her over the years.
“She was very normal and made you feel very comfortable,” he told Nine’s Today Show.
Mr Alcott, who famously made the Queen giggle during a Zoom call after being named Australian of the Year, will also attend the funeral.
RSL Australia president Greg Melick will attend on behalf of the organisation, of which the Queen was a patron.
“For the past seven decades, every person who enlisted in the Australian Defence Force swore an oath to serve Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs and successors, so it is fitting we are now able to personally express our condolences,” he said.
After her funeral, the Queen will then be taken to her final resting place, St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and buried with her husband, Prince Philip.
Australians can watch the broadcast live on Monday night from 8pm AEST on the ABC News channel.
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