How retired top cop Brian Edward supports young kids in need

Geelong’s Brian Edward spent 45 years serving Victoria Police. Now, the 83-year-old is on a mission to help deserving young kids in need.

Brian Edward was announced as the Westfield Geelong Local Heroes grant recipient. Picture: David Smith

A retired police chief superintendent is now on a mission to help deserving kids from disadvantaged areas attend the summer adventure camp of a lifetime.

Brian Edward is the children’s camp co-ordinator at the Lions Club of Geelong Corio and first joined the group 47 years ago.

The 83-year-old has raised more than $400,000 in 23 years, which as allowed about 1300 children, aged right to 11, to attend the club’s five-day summer camp at Licola, in eastern Victoria.

“I’ve always been community minded,” he said.

“It’s very rewarding I get to help children from families doing it tough.”

Licola was a former timber town, which was vacated and sold in 1969 to the Lions Clubs of Victoria and Southern New South Wales.

“It’s been converted to a child’s adventure camp with 16 bunk houses and over the years a swimming pool has been put in,” Mr Edward said

“There is a basketball court and all sorts of outdoor activities like the high ropes, giant swing and canoeing on the river.

“They all enjoy it.”

Mr Edward said the children who attend the 120 children who attend the camp are referred by family support agencies, refugee groups or their schools.

Mr Edward spent 45 years with the Victorian police force, holding the rank of chief superintendent from 1989 to 1997.

In 2021, he was being awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to a range of community organisations.

Brian Edward was announced as the Westfield Geelong Local Heroes grant recipient. Picture: David Smith

Earlier this week, Mr Edward was announced at the recipient of a $20,000 grant from the Westfield Geelong Local Heros program.

The grant will allow 40 children to be able to attend the next club’s summer camp.

“I am just an ordinary person representing the thousands of senior citizens in Geelong who give their time to help the less fortunate,” Mr Edward said.

Jade Hamilton, Lazarus Community Centre general manager, and Libby Bate, Cancer After Care Group Geelong president, both received $5000 grants to be donated to their organisations.

Westfield Geelong centre manager Lauren Frew said: “We want to thank those people who give back to our community.”

The Local Heroes program has supported more than 600 organisations across Australia and invested more than $6m in community grants since it was established in 2018.

Originally published as How retired top cop Brian Edward supports young kids in need