JP thanked for service
MORE than 20 Justice of the Peace gathered to thank Toowoomba JP Trevor Telford for his 12 years of service as coordinator of the JPs in the Community program.
The event also farewelled Mr Telford and his wife Coral, who are moving to Brisbane.
Mr Telford has been a JP since 1993. he was one of the first in Toowoomba to do the exams to become qualified.
When the community program started in the city in September of 2005, he was one of the first to volunteer and became the coordinator for the signing centre at the Grand Central Shopping Centre.
He has been employed as a custodial correction officer at the Darling Downs Correctional Centre near Westbrook from 1987 to 2007.
Following that retirement, he devoted more time to the JP’s in the Community program.
As the program expanded, Mr Telford took on additional roles as co-ordinator for the signing centre at Wilsonton, Toowoomba Plaza and The Ridge shopping centres as well as the Toowoomba Library and the University of Southern Queensland campus.
As well as preparing the volunteers’ rosters, he always rostered himself on and on occasions when volunteers were unable to attend he would often fill in so as to keep the service going.
There are now 50 JP’s serving the community across Toowoomba.
Mr Telford regularly attended the in-service training sessions and has acted as a mentor for many newly appointed JPs.
Justices of the Peace Branch of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General Justice of the Peace branch registrar Damien Mealey attended the farewell dinner to personally thank Mr Telford for his service.
Mr Mealey said across Queensland there were 2200 JP’s serving their communities at 230 signing centres.