Alan Frederick Jessop OAM – born, July 13, 1930 – died May 15, 2026

Alan Frederick Jessop, best known to Canberrans as the “Salvo Man”, has died peacefully at Canberra Hospital. He was 95.

Jessop moved to Canberra from Sydney in 1988. Retired and looking for volunteer work, he became involved with The Salvation Army after developing an interest in its work while living in Wollongong. He joined the Canberra City Corps and began collecting donations outside what was then the Monaro Mall, now the Canberra Centre.

Despite bouts of ill health, including cancer and heart disease, Jessop could still be found at the Canberra Centre three days a week up until the COVID-19 pandemic brought an end to his collecting.

In 2022, he expressed his gratitude to staff at Canberra Hospital “for keeping me well enough to collect for so long. Getting up, going to work, talking with people was what kept me going.”

Over more than 30 years, Jessop raised more than $4 million for The Salvation Army’s programs and initiatives in the ACT.

Beyond the impact of his fundraising, Jessop especially enjoyed talking to shoppers, handing out stickers to children, and occasionally being treated to a hot chocolate while at the Canberra Centre.

In 2011, Jessop was named ACT Local Hero. In 2022, he received both The Salvation Army Australia’s Eva Burrows Award and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

While Jessop never owned a mobile phone and was unable to use the internet, it always brought him joy when family members showed him articles that had been written about him over the years.

Jessop’s granddaughter, writer Emma Batchelor, said: “Every time something was shared about him, Jessop was very interested to discover the comments people had written. He was genuinely so pleased to know that people still remembered him and thought of him fondly.”

His grandson, James Batchelor, said: “Jessop had a kind heart and was a fixture in the community. He will be remembered by many for his dedicated public service in Canberra.”

A photographic portrait of Jessop by Gina Zardo (2022) is held in the National Portrait Gallery. His portrait also featured in Faces of Canberra, marking Canberra’s Centenary.

Jessop will be privately cremated. He is survived by his wife Joy, his daughter Wendy, and his grandchildren Emma and James Batchelor. –HELEN MUSA