World Kindness Movement Blog

Ann ‘Dizzy’ Carlyon: Queen’s award thoroughly deserved

“I’VE never stuck to one charity or project; I like doing random acts of kindness,” said Ann ‘Dizzy’ Carlyon, chiding herself for being a “bit of a loose cannon”.

But it means a long list of groups have benefited from her tireless charity work, a factor recognised in her Medal of the Order of Australia for “service to the community through a range of fund-raising roles”.

Mrs Carlyon’s large-scale community work started decades ago with an open day at the family thoroughbred stud farm in Merricks.

“I just knocked on the door of the SIDS [sudden infant death syndrome] foundation and said ‘I’d like to make some money for you’,” she recalled. “The racing fraternity is extremely generous and we raised more than $100,000 over three years.”

Open Family, a charity which assists homeless children, was next on her lucky list, which went on to include Peninsula Hospice, Hanover Welfare Services, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Rosebud Community Garden and the Australian Open Garden Scheme.

A former board member of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, Mrs Carlyon sat on the Racing Appeals Tribunal from 1988-2010 and organised two Asian Thoroughbred Breeders Conferences to promote the Australian industry. She received the Victorian Racing Women of the Year award in 1997.

Now 69, Mrs Carlyon and her husband Norman retired from racing and moved to Red Hill four years ago.

Her volunteer work has led her back to school. Although she has no connection to Hastings Primary School, Mrs Carlyon has a regular gig there, assisting at the breakfast program.