Charles Cooke Recognised for His Dedication to the Scottish Community
In 2000, Charles Cooke helped found the Aberdeen Highland Games.
Now, as the Games enter its 25th year, he has been recognised for his dedication to the Scottish community, honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia over the King’s Birthday long weekend.
Charles was born and bred in Scone and over time has been involved in a variety of Scone community and Scottish community organisations.
“I suppose I’ve always been a person who’s involved in community affairs and events,” Charles said.
“I was brought up in a family that thought it was important to support the community.”
He has been a member of the Clan MacLeod Society of Australia since the 1980s and became a life member in 2019.
He is also a founding member of Scone RSL Pipes and Drums, alongside other Scottish Heritage Organisations including Hunter District Pipe Band Association, Scottish Australian Heritage Council and Hunter Valley Scots Club.
Most people would know Charles for his tireless work and dedication with the Aberdeen Highland Games of which he has serves as Vice President.
“In 2000, a proposition was made to run a Highland gathering in Aberdeen to help offset the turn down in the economy when the meatworks closed,” Charles recounted.
“I thought, give it one year, it will probably blow itself out, but it proved me totally wrong; we’ve now got an annual event which is deemed to be one of the Upper Hunter’s major attractions.”
Charles was honoured and humbled to receive his OAM.
“It’s a wonderful award to be given and it certainly makes you think, because there’s a lot of people that do things and don’t get recognised,” he said.
“I was one of the fortunate people who was recognised and I’m very grateful for that recognition.”
John’s Dedication To Scone
BY MEREDITH BLAIR
“If you live in a community, you’ve got to support the community; if that doesn’t happen, well, you haven’t got a community,” John Brooks OAM said when asked why community involvement has been important to him over the years.
The Scone resident was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division over the King’s Birthday long weekend for his service to the community of Scone.
John lost his parents when he was young, but contributing to the community was ingrained in him from a young age.
“I was brought up in a home where if you take from the community, you’ve got to put back in, I still believe in that, and hopefully I’ve educated my kids, now I’m working on my grandkids,” John said.
John started off his working life as a paper mill apprentice on the South Coast town of Nowra, before serving two years in the Army, touring Vietnam.
After his service, he moved to Scone with late wife Betty and started an engineering shop with his brother, Brooks Bros, that still exists today.
John is a great believer in apprenticeships and serves as the Mentor for Trades at Scone High School.
“I still go down to the business to make sure the boys are behaving themselves,” John joked.
Since moving to Scone, John has become a fixture in the community being a member of the Scone RSL sub-branch since 1968 and assisting with Westpac Rescue fundraising for 10 years.
He has also offered support to Scone’s local sports and events, including Scone and District Cricket Club, Scone Junior Cricket and Rugby, Rodeo and Camp Drafting, Scone Horse Festival and Scone Local Hospital.
“I’m supposed to be retired, but I can’t retire; I’ve got to be doing something,” John said.
Most people would recognise John for his work with Legacy, which he started when he was 35, becoming the Chairman of Scone Legacy in 1998.
When asked about his recent OAM, John only wishes that his late wife, Betty was around to share the honour with him.
“I’m very touched that someone would think enough of me to nominate me, but half of this award or better is Betty’s, we made a great team over the years.”
