Andrew Roberts: From Assembling Taps to Shaping a Legacy

Celebrating 39 years of kindness, connection and dedication at Orana

In July we celebrated the retirement of our much-loved Coordinating Supervisor, Andrew Roberts, after an extraordinary 39 years of service to Orana.

Andrew began his Orana journey in November 1987 at the age of 21 at Maud Street, Unley. His first task was assembling taps, little did he know that this first job would become an incredible 39-year career supporting people with disability.

Over nearly four decades, Andrew witnessed Orana grow and evolve across numerous sites, including Unley, Brompton, Wingfield, Para Hills West and Netley. He worked on everything from packing showbags and labelling wine bottles to assembling Hegs Pegs and the much-loved Schneider Dollies, a task that continues to bring excitement to employees today.

But for Andrew, the work was always about much more than the tasks.

Reflecting on his career, Andrew said it was the people at Orana who inspired him every day and gave him a reason to love coming to work.
One memory that has stayed with him was seeing an employee arrive at work after walking from the bus stop in pouring rain. Nothing was going to stop them from coming to work, meet their friends and work with a smile.

It was moments like these that reinforced Andrew’s belief that “our most important customer is our employees; they are the reason we work at Orana.”

To celebrate Andrew’s remarkable contribution, Orana has created the Andrew Roberts Award, presented monthly across Orana sites.
The award recognises people who embody the qualities Andrew demonstrated throughout his career:
Kind. Brave. Himself. Inclusive. Positive.

Andrew presented the first award at Netley to Brendan, who was recognised for his positive attitude and his willingness to ask, “What can I do to help?”

In July, colleagues, friends and members of the Orana community gathered to celebrate Andrew’s retirement with cake, a BBQ lunch, heartfelt speeches and plenty of memories.

After 39 years, Andrew leaves Orana with an incredible legacy of friendship, leadership, kindness and dedication.

While his career may have begun with assembling taps, it ultimately became about something much bigger, creating opportunities, building connections and supporting people to belong.

Andrew, thank you for 39 incredible years. Your impact will continue to be felt across Orana for many years to come.

Congratulations on your retirement, Andrew!