Our Local Legends have been recognised with a special awards ceremony held earlier this morning at the Tamworth Community Centre.
Tamworth Region Mayor Russell Webb praised and congratulated the award recipients. "With such a high calibre of nominations and finalists, it was difficult to separate the achievements of some organisations, so a number of categories have joint winners for the great work they do," he said.
The 2024 Local Legends Awards winners are:
Community Inclusion Award
Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service (TAMS) and Tamworth Pride Incorporated
• Tamworth Pride Incorporated actively engage with the broader community to promote inclusivity for the LGBTQIASB+ community. They have partnered with multiple organisations to enhance opportunities to better meet the social, emotional, and educational needs of the LGBTQIASB+ community in the Tamworth Region.
• TAMS support equal opportunity in the workplace for Aboriginal/Indigenous Australians and continually engage in initiatives to provide long term health inclusion practices for Aboriginal/Indigenous people.
Excellence in Performing Arts Award
Tamworth Dramatic Society
• Continually offer a space for the community to celebrate and experience the theatrical arts.
• Predominantly volunteer based members and produce two productions per year including play readings to help bring joy to the community.
Manilla Community Choir received an Encouragement Award in this category to recognise their ongoing activities such as performing every month at the Manilla Nursing Home, despite only being formed less than 2 years ago.
Excellence in Visual Arts Award
Tamworth NAIDOC Committee
• The work of local First Nations photographers Danny Dalton, Tess Reading and Josh Turner, formed the Outstanding Leaders exhibition held during NAIDOC Week at the Tamworth Regional Gallery. They all share a passion for capturing special moments and highlighting the positive qualities of individuals, families, and community.
Excellence in Sustainability Award
Emily Honess and Alice Milson
• Emily Honess runs Talking Threads second-hand retail shop and raises money for different art projects. She co-ordinated two Community Days offering locals the chance to collect free clothes to assist with the cost of living and help reduce clothes going to land-fill.
• Alice Milson plays a key role in the Tamworth Water Security Alliance, advocating for a secure and viable water supply for Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal. She has been a driving force in organising activities such as the National Water Week 2024 Tamworth Open Gardens Trail (to educate the community on having beautiful gardens that use minimal water).
Volunteer of the Year Awards
Mia Elliott (Youth/24 years and under)
• Mia Elliott was part of the Youth Council in 2024 and has helped coordinate a number of events including the Youth Reference Group (YRG) for Headspace Tamworth Green Street Markets.
• Through her work as a youth councillor and with Headspace YRG, she was named by the NSW Parliament, in the top 50 candidates of NSW for the Advocate for Children and Young People.
Ann Burrows (Adult, 25 to 64 years of age)
• Ann Burrows organises (and founded) Tamworth Friendship Knitting Group who have altogether made over 900 knitted and crocheted rugs that have been donated to various groups and organisations
• She organises for guest speakers at each of these meetings so the members can learn about what their work contributes to in the community, as well as having local health professionals speak about topics such as cancer screening to help provide some free health advice.
Betty Dunn and David Ridgewell (Adult, 65 years and older)
• Betty Dunn volunteers within the Tamworth Netball Association and has held many executive roles in her 45+ years of service, along with providing coaching and badged umpire roles. And volunteering at a large number of events such as the University Games, Indigenous Games and NSW State Age Games every year.
• At 85 years of age, she continues to volunteer in the control room every weekend during netball season.
• David Ridgewell OAM has volunteered in the Manilla Community for over 50 years working as a JP, maintaining the community garden, providing learning support in the Manilla Central school, working in the school canteen, providing after school reading and writing sessions, and helping to prepare people for age driving test requirements.
• He also volunteers his time amongst other causes such as working at the annual Manilla Show, Red Cross and teaching Manilla family members to swim.
At the awards ceremony there were also a number of volunteer organisations recognised for the hours they have contributed to the community.
Gift of Time recognition
• Australian Country Music Hall of Fame – 6 volunteers and 890.5 hours volunteered
• Kootingal CWA Branch – 20 volunteers and 4130 hours volunteered
• Kootingal/Moonbi Rural Fire Brigade – 17 volunteers and 3690 hours volunteered
• Lions Club of Tamworth City – 32 volunteers and 1675 hours volunteered
• Manilla Visitor Information Outlet – 9 volunteers and 1260 hours volunteered
• Moonbi Museum Committee – 14 volunteers and 3664 hours volunteered
• Moonbi War Memorial Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee – 4 volunteers and 1275 hours volunteered
• Nundle Visitor Information Outlet – 1 volunteer and 304 hours volunteered
• Scouts NSW North West Region – 30 volunteers and 7850 hours volunteered
• Serendipity Committee Tamworth – 15 volunteers and 950 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Historical Society Calala Cottage Museum – 31 volunteers and 2038.5 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Powerstation Museum – 10 volunteers and 2584.60 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Regional Film and Sound Archive – 9 volunteers and 1525 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Regional Gallery – 10 volunteers and 319 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Regional Landcare/Landcare Nursery Tamworth – 5 volunteers and 936 hours volunteered
• Tamworth Visitor Information Centre – 11 volunteers and 2392 Tamworth Visitor Information Centre
• Winston Doak – The Grey Fergie Tractor Muster – 300 hours volunteered
• Cristine Edwards – 1 volunteer and 2000 hours volunteered
