Swords and honour: Newly appointed Knights Hospitaller Trevor Oldfield is one of about 40 members of the Order of St John of Jerusalem's Priory of NSW.
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce past president Trevor Oldfield has a few more letters following his name after he was made a Knight of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem on Saturday.
There is a symmetry to his appointment as the order was founded at a hospital in the 11th century, and he has devoted the past 12 years to hospital charity KidsWest.
‘‘It’s been an absolute honour to be made part of a group that has done so much for the community,’’ he said.
‘‘The ceremony was amazing.
‘‘The knights and senior people walk down the aisle and you walk behind them, then get cloaked.
‘‘You’re actually knighted at the alter.’’
Mr Oldfield said the appointment was a great opportunity to work with yet another group to identify different areas of need and make a difference to the community.
He co-founded KidsWest with Westmead Hospital professor Reuben Dubois in 1991 to raise funds for paediatric research and equipment for hospitals in Sydney’s west, and has spent 20 years on the board of Wentworthville Leagues Club and seven on the Westmead Millennium Institute’s board.
Mr Oldfield said his long involvement in philanthropic work began when he joined the civil defence rescue division — now the State Emergency Service — at age 14.
‘‘I’m probably most proud of the fact that if you walk into the paediatric intensive care unit at The Children’s Hospital ... out of the 10 humidicribs which are used for babies born as young as 26 weeks, KidsWest have supplied nine [and] the shaken baby project we supported from day one.
‘‘It’s a wonderful education program.
‘‘The incidence of babies being presented to emergency wards has decreased in the 10 years it has been in operation.’’