PDG Leslie Whitcroft AM, the man who ‘kick started’ serious fund raising for Rotary International’s PolioPlus program in 1986, passed away at his home in Turramurra, Sydney on August 12 aged 97 years.
Les was an outstanding Rotarian, businessman and family man – and pursued a lifetime of community service.
With his friend Harry Tyrell, he founded National Can Australia in Fitzroy, Victoria in 1954. He was the driving force behind the success of the company in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Oceania over the next 60 years. He retired from the Company in 1981 to focus on Rotary and community service.
A generous and caring man, Les with his wife Shirley, established The Whitcroft Foundation to benefit many charitable organisations around Australia – including long term sponsorship of the ‘Bridging the Gap’ youth mentoring organisation in Blacktown, NSW.
Les enjoyed an amazing Rotary career and was the inspiration behind many outstanding projects –
- Past President and member of the Rotary Club of Ryde for 43 years.
- Past Governor of District 9685.
- Founding Director of Australian Rotary Health.
- Chairman of the Fund Raising Committee for the Rotary Wing at Westmead Childrens Hospital.
- Past Chairman, long serving Director and benefactor of Rotary Down Under Incorporated. Les provided an interest free of $730k over three years to fund the purchase of the original Rotary Down Under House in Argyle Street, Parramatta, in 1985. The debt was repaid by the Rotarians and Rotary Clubs and Districts of Australia and New Zealand – and the building changed the course of Rotary in Australia by providing a solid base for administration of many programs over the next decade.
However, it was his service as National Chairman of the Australian PolioPlus Committee in the late 1980s that Les made an extraordinary contribution. Rotary International set a fund raising goal of $125 million in 1986 and early progress was slow until Les and Shirley Whitcroft made a donation of US$250k to then RI President MAT Caparas at a Pacific Regional Conference in Adelaide. This single act provided great leadership to Rotarians and corporates around the world and donations began to flow in great numbers and amounts. Shirley Whitcroft was a key figure in the campaign – inspiring everyone by way of her own battle with polio. Shirley contracted the dreaded virus after she and Les were married and her youngest child was just 18 months old.
Les Whitcroft’s lifetime of service was suitable recognised when he was honoured with an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) in 1989.
He is survived by his daughters Prudence and Diana, son in law Michael, grandchildren Scott, Kirsty, Louise and Fiona, and great grandchildren Xavier, Joshua, Lachlan, Savannah, Eugenie and Josephine.
