With over 30 years of devoted service spanning everything from cleaning bathrooms alongside clients to strategic tender writing and management across Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ), Larry’s career in psychosocial support services stemmed from studies in psychology, sociology and philosophy.

Larry and his family moved to Queensland in the early nineties prompted by his eldest daughter starting high school and his retirement from 20 years in the Royal Australian Airforce as a Flight Engineer. He saw an advert in The Courier Mail for a Richmond Fellowship support worker at the Eliza Street therapeutic house and he was successful and began in March of 1993.

“I didn’t know anything about my job, there was no ‘normal’ day. I did a lot of work helping people. The program was to assist with household tasks, the chores around the house – so helping people clean toilets and showers and gardening and all kinds of projects like that. That was the job. It was a big learning curve for me for the first couple of years,” Larry reflects.

Following his role with Eliza Street, RFQ started to get a small portion of funding for an Independent Living Service (ILS) and Larry was joined by another employee with three decades of experience – Rudolf (Rudy) Manu (who is now a Transitional Supervisor in The Way Back Support Service).

“Rudy and I were like the Grace Brothers, we would go and assist people with setting up their homes – running furniture up and down stairs, getting people set up in flats, painting floors and doing all kinds of various activities for them,” he said.

“I think RFQ’s foundational approach which underpins the values we have today – it’s about having genuine relationships with people and providing for, having empathy and exhibiting compassion. It’s a solidarity with people with mental illness that makes a difference. We try to support people in a truly genuine way,” Larry said.

The roll out of Project 300 began in 1995, which was a Queensland government initiative as part of a series of reforms designed to develop community-based models of care and rehouse patients who resided in psychiatric hospitals. Larry says this was the beginning of wider reform and changes in the mental health system.

Larry oversaw the roll out of Project 300 in his role at the time as Regional Manager.

“The first year of Project 300 we got thirteen people out of Wolston Park who had been just living there in that institution for 20 or 30 years, to get them out of hospital and into assisted living with the right social supports in the community was very satisfying,” he said.  

One of RFQ’s clients, Rachel, who moved from institutionalised care in the Toowoomba region into supported living, is still supported by RFQ today though our NDIS Core Support Program. (You can read Rachel’s story here)

“It’s been so good for her and really improved her quality of life in an amazing way,” he said.

As RFQ grew, so did Larry’s responsibilities and roles, with the geographic reach across Queensland growing with the number of tenders and increase in funding for psychosocial support services.

Virtually overnight in 2006, RFQ rapidly expanded its program and service delivery reach, being successful in five tenders increasing the number of offices and staff required to deliver those programs dramatically.  

There hasn’t been a program or part of the business Larry hasn’t been heavily involved with during his time with RFQ– from crafting tenders alongside the CEO, working on the ground, or facilitating and advising in a supervisorial role.

Aside from Project 300, he cites the Transitions from Corrections Program as holding a pretty special place in his heart, as well as RFQ’s work with other mariginalised groups such as advocating for and supporting the deaf community.

“It’s very special to see people on the margins of society, and appreciating how hard it is to get back into society after a period of incarceration, to be able to meet them at the gate, support them before release and assist in their journey post being locked up is very rewarding, and it’s an amazing program.”

“Also working with deaf and deaf support workers has also been really rewarding – learning Auslan and signing with clients in their supported journey,” he said.

Larry isn’t only dedicated to his working life, but he also demonstrates this same dedication to his hobbies and family. He has four daughters and 10 grandchildren that he enjoys taking sailing in his downtime and he also cycles for fun and to raise money for various charities.

“When I’m not riding or sailing, I’ve been learning classical guitar for a few years – my wife complains she is a guitar widow, but we do play together on the weekends as part of our church community.”

When asked what the best advice he has taken on board or been given in life, Larry cites Stephen Covey as an inspiration.

“Start with the end in mind, otherwise you will lose your way.”

Larry is Executive Manager of Service Development has been with Richmond Fellowship Queensland since March 1993 and celebrated 31 years of dedicated service in 2024.