A long-time Country Women's Association (CWA) volunteer and a regional community leader are the WA Seniors Awards winners for 2022.
Delyse Ward has been involved with the CWA for nearly 60 years and the past four as its Volunteer Community Coordinator.
The 79-year-old travels hundreds of kilometres every week, distributing packages made by CWA members to hospitals, refuges, aged care facilities, indigenous communities, and organisations working with homeless people.
These packages can include items such as laundry bags, scrub caps, 'Share the Dignity' packages, 'Fiddle Muffs', and rugs for dementia patients.
Today she was recognised for her outstanding contributions to the community and honoured as the Metropolitan Senior Award winner
Cunderdin Community Leader Bernie Daly is the Regional Senior Award winner.
Since moving to Cunderdin 10 years ago, the 76-year-old has involved himself in a range of community activities, including the Cunderdin Men's Shed - of which he is President - the CMT Seniors Committee, and the Shire of Cunderdin - where he is a Councillor.
Through his involvement with the Local Health Advisory Committee, he's promoted a program where seniors fill out booklets with their medical details and put them on their fridge door, where the information is easily accessible to first responders in an emergency.
He is an advocate and spokesperson for the seniors of Cunderdin, ensuring their opinions and needs are well represented.
In other Award categories, Judy Joukador - a volunteer with the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre, Older People's Rights Service - was announced as the WA Seniors Advocate Award winner.
Judy has been a volunteer peer educator since 2017. In that time, she's been a driving force behind the Purple Road - an initiative to create artwork which represents the journey of ageing.
In the last year alone, she's delivered more than 25 education sessions on elder abuse to over 500 attendees.
Unicare Health - a supplier of hospital and aged care equipment - was awarded the Age-Friendly Business Award for its #safeseniors campaign. The project raises awareness of Assistive Technology to help seniors live safely and independently at home.
The City of Cockburn was honoured with the Age-Friendly Local Government Award for its commitment to senior residents over the last fifteen years. This includes establishing the Cockburn Seniors Centre, the Cockburn Community Men's Shed, and installing over 90 pieces of public exercise equipment. The City is also a member of the World Health Organisation's Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
As stated by Seniors and Ageing Minister Don Punch:
"As WA Seniors Award recipients, Delyse and Bernie are great examples of the valued contribution our seniors make to the WA community.
"Both are very active and heavily involved in community activities that benefit others, and age is no barrier to either of them.
"Delyse has harnessed the power of an army of volunteers from the iconic CWA and is ensuring people facing life's biggest challenges can do so with a little extra comfort.
"Bernie is showing us all what it means to be a community leader. People like Bernie hold regional communities together and keep the country spirit alive.
"I also congratulate Judy Joukador, Unicare, and the City of Cockburn for their ongoing commitment to seniors in their communities.
"All nominees and winners of the 2022 WA Seniors Awards can be proud of their achievements - not just for themselves, but for the benefit of seniors and the wider community across WA."
