King Richard is Hobart’s quiet achiever
Volunteer spotlight for National Volunteer Week
Richard has been quietly helping to keep the wheels turning at the Hobart Dogs’ Home for more than a decade.
He has fixed roofs, repaired kennels, made furniture, designed and created “dog sniff stations”, built things and renovated other things, painted stuff, tackled woodwork and gardening chores — you name it, Richard’s had his hands on it.
Richard is both a highly skilled tradesman and a creative person. In fact, he’s quite the artist. Our previous CEO, Michael, loved to throw him challenges. One day he gave Richard an old metal candle holder, saying “what can you do with this?”. A little while later, the result was installed in the Home’s front garden — a

A little while later, the result was installed in the Home’s front garden — a glorious new birdbath. We’re lucky to have a number of Richard’s fantastic metal dog sculptures, and one of them is part of our Hobart Sponsor Board.
What truly sets Richard apart is his humility and genuine love for animals. Richard and his wife Maria, who also volunteers her time when she can, have two dogs (from the Hobart Home), six cats, four pigs, and about 30 chickens, ducks and geese. They are all rescues.
“Richard’s a quiet achiever. He just gets things done,” says staff member Alex. “His hard work makes the Hobart Home a better place for everyone. Volunteers like Richard are the jewels of the not-for-profit world.”
Staff member Mel echoes this sentiment: “Richard’s work is invaluable to us. He’s always ready to help, rain or shine, planning projects and even crafting items at home for us.”
And Richard’s dedication knows no bounds. He quietly planted 84 trees single-handedly in one day to ensure a re-vegetation project was completed in time without having to bring in outside assistance.



But what makes Richard a real legend is his attitude. He’s not one for fuss or fanfare. Just a down-to-earth bloke with a heart of gold, who loves animals and wants to do his bit to make their lives better. Richard was a winner of a Tasmanian Community Kindness Award in 2020, and for good reason. He’s highly regarded by all staff and volunteers at the Hobart Home.
“He’s a man of many talents,” says staff member Emily. “Richard is an amazing volunteer and person. His work is top notch. We are so lucky to have him.”
“Richard is our one-and-only,” says CEO Mark. “He’s a jack-of-all-trades, our fixer-upper extraordinaire. I mean, what can’t the guy do? Carpentry, concrete, gardening, painting, metal works — you name it, he’s on it.
“And if by some miracle he hasn’t tackled it before, he’ll get on the internet and figure it out — coming back to us with options and/or a plan. He’s like our very own DIY superhero. He’s also a top bloke. Honestly, he’s basically the perfect man. If you find any flaws, let me know, because I’m yet to discover them!”
And in his own words, Richard sums it up: “I keep coming back because I love animals, the people, and the work itself. I thrive on challenges and enjoy seeing projects through. Plus making improvements and saving money? Well, that’s just the icing on the cake.”