NSW Australian of the Year Awards - WOW!

 With the Premier Barry O'Farrell - Ben Townsend Photography

It would be an understatement to say I was surprised to learn that I had been nominated for the Australian of the Year awards, and then shocked to hear that I was a finalist in the Local Hero category. Wow! What a humbling and awesome thing for a girl from the burbs in Sydney.

And then I learned of my peers in the same category and I was blown way. Shane Phillips   – who was named the Local Hero for NSW last Monday night in a ceremony at the MCA in Sydney– is someone whom I have admired for many years and who’s work in Redfern and inner Sydney I have followed for a long time. We share common vision for a healthy community and the last time I spoke to him at the Excellence Dinner  a few months ago, he was telling me about the success of his early morning boxing sessions at the NCIE. Impressive and inspiring to say the least.

 

With the gorgeous Sarah Garnett 

 

I was thrilled to be alongside and to meet the deadly Sarah Garnett at the awards ceremony. As an author and someone passionate about literacy, I obviously have a bias towards libraries of any description, and so I am inspired by Sarah’s ‘Footpath Library’ initiative because like Sarah, I want all Australians to have access to books as well, regardless of their socio-economic background or where / how they love. Sandra and I hope to be able to do some work together in the future, but in the meantime, you too can participate in this wonderful initiative. Check out their website and help get books into the hands of the homeless. 

I’d also like to acknowledge Dr Steve Flecknoe-Brown  from Broken Hill and all the work he does out here and I hope to visit one day and grab some of their deadly Olive Oil.

Finally, I’d like to express heartfelt thanks to Reconciliation Australia for the nomination and for their continued work in bridging gaps between all areas of our society. And of course, I’d like to thank the National Australia Day Committee for naming me a finalist in NSW.

 

NSW Finalists, the Premier and the Chairman of the Australia Day Council of New South Wales - Ben Townsend Photography