Volunteers & new citizens in the spotlight

Cavendish resident Roger Edwards was announced as Southern Grampians Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year for his 50 years of service to the local community.

The honor was bestowed upon Mr Edwards by Mayor Councillor David Robertson at the official Australia Day community celebrations held at the Hamiton Botanic Gardens.

Mr Edwards is a founding member of the Cavendish Townscape Association and an original committee member of the Cavendish Red Gum Festival. He plays a pivotal role in Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning (HIRL)’s Mud Gallery and the arts scene in general. For decades he’s volunteered with the Cavendish Uniting Church and his local Men’s Shed.

Presented with the Young Citizen of the Year accolades were Ruby Hayden Simpson and Tayla Lewis both from Hamilton for their work promoting mental health awareness, and, in particular, for addressing last year’s Youth Wellbeing Conversation for parents and carers of young people in the Southern Grampians region.

Community Recognition Awards

Eileen Broadwood

Eileen contributes significantly to several successful long-running community initiatives.

These include Driver Reviver, Pedal Car Grand Prix Committee, Rope Quoit Association administration, and The Coleraine RSL, as well as catering for many local events.

Her sense of community spirit is heartwarming, and she goes about her tasks with grace, dignity, humour, and enthusiasm.

Eileen Jolly

Eileen Jolly has been actively involved in many community organisations including the Hamilton Old Time Dance Club, Dramus Theatre Group, and The Anglican Parish.

Eileen has always been community-minded and generously gives her time to others in need and providing essential services to the aged community in Hamilton.

Whether that is visiting someone in hospital or a hospice providing company and comfort, or delivering home-cooked meals to people she has been told are unwell or alone at home.

She is well known for her personal ‘meals on wheels’ specials, in addition to doing the cleaning and laundry of many sick and aging community members.

Everyone in Eileen’s social circle knows her door is always open for those in need of a chat and/or some food.

Hamilton Anglican Mothers Union

The Hamilton Branch of the Anglican Mothers Union has been conducting an annual book fair for over 30 years, which has raised more than $320,000.

The fair runs for approximately six weeks and is staffed solely by volunteers.

Funds raised are distributed widely to local, national, and overseas charitable organisations including the Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning and Hamilton Special Development School, and for community projects such as restoring the Christ Church heritage building.

Funds have also been used to provide ‘health packs’ to patients at Hamilton Hospital and needy families within the shire through Anglicare.

Mark Thomas

Mark makes a huge contribution to the local community every year in his role as a community engagement worker with the Salvation Army.

Based at the Salvation Army church in Hamilton, Mark and his supportive group of volunteers provide financial assistance, groceries, weekly community meals, and delivery of food parcels to people and families who are struggling to make ends meet.

Each Thursday Mark and his volunteers prepare and cook around 100 meals for the community, and every week up to 50 food hampers are delivered to local households.

Mark is a hardworking man with a huge heart and there is not a needy person in the region who has not met or been helped by Mark over the years.

Noeleen Clarke

Noeleen has a long history of volunteering in Coleraine organisations that support the elderly and disadvantaged.

Along with her sidekick Eileen Broadwood, Noleen has catered for all kinds of events for the Coleraine RSL.

She also volunteered for 25 years with the now-disbanded Coleraine Lions Club, helping with barbecues, raffles, and working bees.

The Driver Reviver van is run by Noeleen and Eileen, which is a very valuable service for drivers during busy holiday periods.

After the Lions Club disbanded, these ladies had it purchased and refurbished by the RSL Social Club so the service could be continued.

Noeleen is also a Coleraine Rope Quoit Club Life Member after 50-plus years of service and recently sat at the door all weekend welcoming and selling raffle tickets at the Australia Rope Quoit Championships in Coleraine.

She also contributed to the Pedal Car Grand Prix and worked tirelessly at the ‘Tins for Bins’ Fundraiser Day.

Noeleen is also a Past Community Car Coordinator.

Paul Bosch

Paul has lived in Coleraine for over 25 years and has been an active member of the community.

He has been the Coleraine State School Council President for nine years and an active member of the Coleraine Apex Club.

He has been on the committee of the Australian Pedal Car Grand Prix for two years and has coached junior football in the district for over a decade.

Paul is the owner of the IGA supermarket in Coleraine and provides a significant opportunity to young people in our community for full-time and part-time work.

He provides mentoring to these young people and is very flexible and understanding when various work and personal issues arise.

Paul willingly provides significant sponsorships to many community groups around the district, which they very much appreciate.

William Kinghorn

Will has selflessly devoted himself to the Byaduk community including being the captain of the CFA, Treasurer of the Cricket Club and President of the Recreation Reserve.

Will is an active member of the Byaduk and North Byaduk Progress Association, and he’s been a volunteer for the Byaduk Spring Show most of his life.

Will has been on the committee of the Hamilton P&A Society since 2011 and has been in the chair’s seat since 2022.

Will is currently the Vice President of the Gazette Landcare Group, which actively works towards developing a wildlife corridor through farmland towards Mount Napier.

Will always has a meeting or project on the go, but makes time to help his neighbours, friends, and family and embodies the Australian spirit in everything he does.