Humbled to the core, Ross Bingham says making the King's Birthday Honours list feels like a "team award".
"An award like this, I see it as like a whole of life team award, because you don't ever get anywhere by yourself. It's the people that surround you that get you there," he said.
The Newcastle born and bred 62 year-old received the accolade for his service to the community through charitable organisations, mainly in his role as CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Northern NSW.
"I'm incredibly humbled and honoured to be thought of by friends, family and work colleagues, to be put forward for something like this," he said.
"It's a massive honour. I think when you're given something like that there's a responsibility with it to uphold the standards of what you do and the integrity. It's very important to me."
Mr Bingham's journey to improving the lives of sick kids began when he graduated high school and took a 12 month gig working for McDonald's. Life worked out a little differently with his gap year leading him to accepting a manager's role at age 18.
"I had absolutely no idea [where I'd end up]. I actually wanted to do aeronautical engineering, that was my passion," he said.
Over the next 17 years he ran three restaurants across Newcastle and helped raise funds to build the Ronald McDonald House in Newcastle, where he volunteered for five years with his wife Rohan.
"I was lucky enough to be there for the first turning of the sod and then they were looking for someone to take on a role as the executive officer so I threw my hat in the ring," he said.
For the past 26 years Mr Bingham has put his blood, sweat and tears into fundraising to help provide a safe space to help families through tough times.
"It's been a fantastic development process for me to learn about relationships, and making a difference for families is an absolute privilege," he said.
"The work is a lifestyle, not a job. You're thinking about things all the time on how you can support families or better promote what we do."
Mr Bingham said having Ronald McDonald House in Newcastle was a huge advantage and he was passionate about providing children with every opportunity for a better life.
"The biggest thing we can do for the future is to help children. Whether that's your own children or other people's children, or seriously ill children - the children are the future," he said.
"Our job [as adults] is to bring those people in and to raise those children up, so I feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of that."
Mr Bingham said having Ronald McDonald House in his life had morphed into his family morals.
"I think working with these families and sick children has given us the attitude to make a difference and make your life count," he said.
He wanted to thank his wife, his kids Britt, Jack, Matt and Daniel and his five grandchildren for their continued support.
"It helps you through those tough times when you're surrounded with great family and friends," he said.
Accomplishments:
- Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern NSW Chief Executive Officer, since 1996.
- Co-Instigator and Participant, 'Ride for Sick Kids', since 2005.
- Volunteer, 1991-1996.
- Inductee, RMHC Hall of Fame, 2008.
- St Philip's Christian College
- Board Member, 1997-2017.
- Former Minute Secretary.
- Restaurant Manager, McDonald's, 1979-1996.
