Looking back over a lifetime defined by giving to his community, David Winter (OM 1972) sums up how he feels in one simple statement: “I’m lucky. Very, very lucky.”
David, whose contributions include everything from helping build a school in a small African community to organising the delivery of almost 10,000 meals to those in need over the course of 2020, sees his actions as part of a life that hasn’t followed a predetermined route.
“I could’ve ended up in the city with a suit and a briefcase, but early on I knew I wasn’t going to follow in my father’s footsteps,” he says. “As I’ve said to one of the Old Melburnians I mentor, mine has been the path less trodden.”
An early sense of ethics
Having started at Melbourne Grammar in late primary school, David says the lessons that had the greatest impact on him were those about how to treat other people.
“I saw early on how important it was to stand up for your beliefs, and I was supported in that by my teachers. If I saw someone who was in need, I stepped in. I was brought up Anglican, but those ethics are common to any person, of any belief system,” he says.
“When I was Captain of Miller House, I also came to understand the potential we had as a school to help those less fortunate than ourselves, and that’s something that still drives me today,” adds David, who was named City of Whitehorse Citizen of the Year in 2021 after he established a meals on wheels program for the elderly, people with disabilities, and international students. Delivering meals throughout Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, the program catered for over 300 people and involved over 130 local volunteers, many of whom had never participated in service before.
Following a passion to contribute
David’s career as a baker, which began 45 years ago, has included many successes, including the creation of the Brumby’s franchise, the sale of that business, and the establishment of his current bakery, Mont Albert’s Bread Street, which has a passionate following throughout Victoria via word-of-mouth alone.
Alongside the many early mornings and hours of hard work that have gone into his career, David’s desire to contribute led to the long-term financial support of a school in Arusha, Tanzania, and to he and his wife making the decision to become foster parents.
“I couldn’t have children myself, but I don’t ever look back and think ‘what if,’” he says. “A lot of my life hasn’t been planned, but all the way along I’ve been involved with young people, and that’s been extremely meaningful and rewarding to me.”
David also supports other individuals and community groups. Every day, long term employees with disabilities (including those with Down’s syndrome, autism, and limited vision) are a vital part of David’s production team. “I see ability, not disability in these people,” he says. “And other staff benefit from the experience as well.”
In addition, David supports local community groups like schools and clubs, including Rotary, by providing free product to them.
David’s connection to Melbourne Grammar continues to this day through the informal “No Reason at All” club lunch – a group of Old Melburnians from his 1971 peer group* who meet up a number of times each year simply to maintain their connections to each other.
As for retirement, David admits he is looking forward to having more free time over the next few years. “The early mornings are fine, but I still want to travel, and I’m looking forward to doing more sailing and resuming competition bridge,” he says.
