Mr Gorringe was recognised for his roles in the Deaf Society of NSW and Deaf Lawn Bowls Australia.

“Australia Day is a special day to get a medal, it’s an honour,” he said through the help of his interpreter and wife, Kay.

Mr Gorringe suffered virtually complete hearing loss when he contracted meningitis at the age of two, and he was educated at a boarding school for deaf boys in Sydney from five to 16.

“Then when I went for baker training, my mum taught me more words,” he said.

“They tried to test me and there was nothing.

“Overseas, they had to test my hearing for the deaf lawn bowls and there was zilch, I didn’t know the test was on.” 

After he gave baking up due to flour in his lungs, Mr Gorringe worked in cleaning until he decided to study accountancy at TAFE at the age of 52. He worked as a health services manager until his second retirement at 68.

But his time serving as justice of the peace for the deaf drew him closer to others facing similar challenges.

A member of the Central West Deaf Community since 1969, he later served as president of Disabled Peoples’ Western Region from 1987 to 1991, joined the Disability Council of NSW in 1989 and became a board member of the Deaf Society of NSW in 1990.

Almost giving it up in 2008, Mr Gorringe was brought back as president until 2011.

“I was the only country representative on the board and I love it, it encourages people,” he said.

“It’s things like interpreter services, employment for deaf people and independent living.” 

Mr Gorringe has also managed to incorporate sport, having been an Orange City Bowling Club member since 1972, and also taking a leading role in deaf lawn bowls, which has its own rules and forbids hearing aids to avoid unfair advantages. 

He became an administrator of Deaf Lawn Bowls NSW in 1984 and president in 2008, first serving as a team manager for the Australian Deaf Games in 1986 until 1996.

He later became the Australian team manager for the International Deaf Lawn Bowls Championships in 1993 and an administrator at Deaf Lawn Bowls Australia in 2008, taking on the presidency in 2012.

During that time, he served as vice-president of the International Deaf Lawn Bowls Federation and directed the sixth annual International Deaf Lawn Bowls Championships in Perth in 2011.

Now 72, he remains secretary of the international federation and is about to travel to Belfast with this year’s team.

“I think we’ve got a very good chance, the Australian men have won five out of the six international games,” he said. 

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au