General News
2 June, 2026
Faye Pyke recognised for volunteer service
Maryborough Red Cross’ Faye Pyke was honoured last week with the organisation’s Volunteer Service Award alongside other valued members from across the state.
Honoured for her extensive service with the organisation spanning longer than a decade, it is not even clear which of her many roles Ms Pyke could have been nominated for.
“I have three hats in Red Cross. I have a committee role in the branch where I have been treasurer, I belong to Red Cross emergency services where I go out to disasters, and I have done patient transport driving,” she said.
Through her emergency services work, Ms Pyke has responded to numerous disasters, including the devastating car attack on a crowd at Bourke Street mall in January 2017, the Black Summer bushfires and the fatal Daylesford crash in November 2023.
“Certainly Mallacoota was a highlight, it was certainly a learning curve. Even just having to get there,” she said.
“That was a memorable one and then getting into a helicopter, and coming back on a Hercules plane, we pretty much sat on the floor. To see what a disaster it was, and how the community rallied together, and how they appreciated us coming in.”
Since 2012, patient transport has been Ms Pyke’s biggest passion with Red Cross, a space where she provides mentorship and support for patients experiencing a range of conditions.
“I believe the nomination came from that ... it’s one on one, you are with one person, and sometimes those people don’t have family. So you become a friend to them, a mentor, someone they can talk to,” she said.
“You take the stress out of where they are going, you pick them up and you take them to the hospital door, and I think they are so grateful.”
Since she started doing it 14 years ago, Ms Pyke would even average one of these trips a week.
“It could be a few trips to Ballarat, we also drive to Melbourne, it varies,” she said.
Moved by the recognition, Ms Pyke was honoured to be appreciated for her years with the organisation.
“I don’t do it for that reason. But it is really nice to find out people are aware of what you do and appreciate it,” she said.
“It’s great for my kids, they don’t live here, so they don’t know what I do. Having to go to Government House, they came along with me, so they got to hear it.”
Continuing her involvement with the Maryborough branch, Ms Pyke said she will still fulfil her many roles with Red Cross, and maintain her passion for supporting others.
“We are a big branch, we have functions, and they are enjoyable because we get people out who normally don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said.
“I love networking with people, it really makes you feel good when you are assisting with someone even if it is just listening to them. I do enjoy helping people, even if it is just helping people, Red Cross is all about that, even the branch here.”