Recipients

31 years ago, when Graham became host of 6PR’s Nightline Program his philosophy was to help people and support community organisations that don’t receive recognition in mainstream media. He has achieved this and much more.

He is widely recognised as an advocate for those less fortunate, and through his program provides a forum for public debate and an opportunity for charities and community groups to promote their work.

Graham’s greatest volunteering achievement was founding Lifeline WA in the mid 1980’s. Through Nightline, he constantly received calls from people who simply needed some-one to talk to. He recognized a community need and Lifeline was born. Established through the Living Stone Foundation and supported by volunteers, Lifeline provides an essential telephone counselling service to over 20,000 people in Western Australia.

Despite full-time work and serving as a Minister at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church, Graham donates time to a wide range of not for profits and is always willing to roll up his sleeves to lend a hand.

Volunteering is a way of life for 88-year-old John Christmass, who has spent a lifetime volunteering with choirs, orchestras and students, providing opportunities for young performers and delighting audiences around the world.

John studied music in Perth, before moving to Melbourne to study piano, oboe and singing at the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music. When he returned to Perth, he established the School Choral Festival and volunteered at schools that needed support, giving free music lessons to students who couldn’t afford to pay.

In 1978 he established the I Voci Singers, and has worked passionately over three decades to build the choral group into one of the State’s finest choirs. He has served as Musical Director for the RSL’s ANZAC Day Commemorations for over 50 years, building Perth’s commemorations into a spectacular and moving experience.

24-year-old Caitlin Harwood combines full-time work and part-time study with volunteering twice a week for the Activ Foundation, and once a week as an alcohol and drug counsellor with Holyoak. Caitlin volunteers with the Activ Foundation’s Community Respite for Children Program, offering parents of the children she looks after a much needed and well deserved break.

She never hesitates to take on extra responsibility and is always willing to volunteer with new families, ensuring the appropriate services are offered. Caitlin treats the children and their families with dignity and respect, and she is an outstanding role model for other young Activ volunteers.

Caitlin is a quiet achiever, who doesn’t seek recognition or praise and believes volunteering enriches her life and provides her with an opportunity to connect with some very special individuals, children and families.

22-year-old Holly Ransom is President Elect of the Rotary Club of Crawley, which will make her the youngest President in the world to lead a Rotary club with more than 30 members. If Holly sees a need within the community she is never afraid to volunteer her time to develop a strategy to deliver a positive outcome.

She has taken a leading role with a wide range of organisations, chairing the Young UN Women Perth, sitting on the Red Cross’ Youth Advisory Council, volunteering for the Inspiration Foundation, and serving as a project officer for the Balya Indigenous project in Jigalong. She has addressed and inspired Western Australian students and young leaders about community involvement and the importance of volunteering.

Atul Garg came to Australia in 1992, and his community service and passion for volunteering over the past two decades has enriched and contributed to our community life. He has held committee positions with the Hindu Association, the Indian Society of WA and is a member of the Carers Advisory Council and the Winthrop Murdoch Community Group.

Since 1995, he has taken an active interest in the Neighbourhood Watch Community Safety Program. In 2008, he was given responsibility for overall coordination and management of the program in the City of Melville.

Under his guidance, the program has flourished and there are now 300 volunteers and an equal number of program supporters working together to reduce the incidence of preventable crime and preserve our way of life.

Sheryl Foster began working for the Red Cross in 2002, managing Soup Patrol volunteers. For the past nine years, she has managed the State-wide Telecross Program, building it into a flagship service within the Red Cross. Sheryl is passionate about her work and has great empathy for her clients and a heartfelt appreciation of her volunteers.

She coordinates a team of over 450, who maintain daily contact with over 500 older, socially isolated and at risk Western Australians. Sheryl has implemented innovative strategies to attract new volunteers, and recently introduced a process to eliminate the risk of Telecross volunteers forgetting to call clients. She conducts training in a range of skills and maintains regular and ongoing contact with clients and volunteers.

Over two decades, Freehills has built an excellent and far reaching corporate volunteering program, providing positive benefits to the community, and engaging and inspiring its Partners and staff.

Last year, Freehill’s lawyers provided over 3,874 hours of pro bono work, offering legal services to charities, not for profits and individuals and assisting with significant legal matters in the areas of reconciliation, disability and health.

Partners and staff fundraise in teams for a range of charities and volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House Make-a-Meal Program, cooking for families with children undergoing treatment at PMH.

Freehills has an ongoing partnership with Clontarf Aboriginal College, working to develop a range of innovative programs that give Indigenous students greater confidence and a sense of pride.

Over the past 35 years, Read Write Now has given the gift of literacy to more than 20,000 West Australians without the skills to cope with life’s everyday demands.

The organisation is contacted by over 600 people each year, ranging from parents who want to read bedtime stories to their children to isolated and depressed people without literacy skills.

Read Write Now volunteer tutors work on a one-to-one basis in an informal setting to develop an individual learning program.

The organisation works State-wide, with 700 volunteers and coordinators. To ensure ongoing funding and support, the volunteer coordinators are established as a separate incorporated body, known as the Community Adult Literacy Foundation.

Dawn Butterworth has dedicated half a century to promoting and advancing the health, wellbeing and progress of women and children in Western Australia, Australia and around the world.

Early Childhood Education is Dawn's ‘magnificent obsession', and she combined her work as an internationally respected Early Childhood Specialist and University lecturer, with voluntary service to encourage communities, organisations and individuals to protect the rights of children, and embrace the care and development of women.

She has led workshops, forums and training to improve the welfare of women and children, set up playgroups for Aboriginal children in remote WA, organised toys for children following natural disasters overseas, and developed welcome kits for migrant and refugee families arriving in WA.

She is President of the National Council of Women WA and the World Early Childhood Association of WA and Australia, and a Board member of the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital.

John van Bockxmeer is a 28-year-year-old, Perth based medical doctor with a passion for community development, and a genuine desire to make a positive difference to the lives of those less fortunate.

While working as a junior doctor in Port Hedland, John saw first-hand how sport and fitness can change lives and improve health outcomes for disadvantaged people. In 2011, he founded Fair Game, a volunteer run charity that collects recycled sports equipment and distributes it to Indigenous and migrant communities

In 2012, under his leadership, 30 volunteers distributed 3,000 pieces of equipment to communities in rural, remote and metropolitan WA. To engage indigenous children in exercise, John worked with Curtin University staff to produce a “Wellness Walkabout” book that tells the story in local dialect about a boy on walkabout.

He developed Indigenous specific movement sessions incorporating yoga and pilates, and a dance based “fit for youth” exercise program, for Indigenous and migrant youth.

Ruth Reid began her life-long involvement with community service in 1966 when she arrived in Perth and volunteered with Save the Children Foundation.

The breadth and scope of her voluntary work over the next 46 years is reflected in the diverse range of projects, not for profit organisations and charities she worked with, and supports.

Ruth spent many years at Carson Street School, and South Kensington High School, assisting children with special needs. She volunteered with the Association for the Blind and St John’s Ambulance, and as the wife of former WA Governor, the late Professor Gordon Reid, she founded The Friends of Government House.

Ruth has been or is, the Patron of many community organisations, including the School Volunteer Program, Society of Women Writers, Midnight Youth Theatre Company, and the Autism Association of WA, to mention a few.

At the age of 91 she continues her voluntary service as Patron of UnitingCare West’s Rainbow Project for people living with mental illness.

Bill Gaynor has lived a life of community service, working as a teacher, at times in regional and remote WA, dedicating 60 years to volunteering as a surf life saver, scout master, military and community leader.

Bill joined the City of Perth Surf Life Saving Club in 1954, serving in over 150 volunteer positions, including Club President, State Development Committee Member and National Council Board Executive. His contribution was recognised in 1999 with the Order of Australia Medal, and in 2007 he was presented with the 50 year service award for lifesaving.

In 1956 Bill joined the Wembley / Floreat Park Scouts and went on to become a Group Scoutmaster, and in 2001 he was appointed an Honorary Commissioner for Scouts WA Branch, a position he still holds.

Bill was a member of the Army Reserve from 1963 until 1996 and his commitment to support current and former military personnel and their families has remained steadfast. He has been a Patron of the Borneo POW Relatives Association, the State President of the WA Branch of the RSL and a Director of RSL Australia.

Bankwest commenced its formal employee volunteering program in 2010, establishing a partnership with United Way and building a framework to facilitate volunteering and workplace giving.

Through the partnership, Bankwest supported local community group HOPE (Helping Out People Everywhere), an organisation that offers referral services, food parcels and clothing to homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people. Employees experienced first-hand the challenges of homelessness when they cooked, served and shared a meal with HOPE clients at a monthly BBQ, and interest in the employee volunteer program increased.

In 2012, more than 1,000 employees donated over 4,000 hours to support 18 community organisations. Celebrating achievements is an integral part of the program, and employees are recognised for their voluntary contribution and encouraged to share their stories and experiences with colleagues.

In a short time, Bankwest has raised the bar in corporate volunteering by taking a strategic, long-term approach to developing a program across a variety of community sectors, with the support of a dedicated senior management team. Bankwest has achieved excellence in its own organisation and the broader corporate volunteering sector.

YMCA Perth’s Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leading youth mentoring program in Western Australia, facilitating long-term, one on one, supportive friendships between adult volunteers, and youths, 7 to 17 years, from socially isolated or disadvantaged backgrounds.

The early intervention program aims to engage vulnerable young people with their community through the power and simplicity of companionship, and by building on the positive and enduring impact that friendship and mentoring has on youth.

Big Brothers Big Sisters staff work diligently to ensure matches are carefully crafted, and ongoing training and support is provided throughout the life of the mentoring relationship.

2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the program in Perth and over this time 153 young people have been placed in quality, long term matches with mentors and role models who are committed to assisting and supporting them to reach their full potential.

Joe Tuazama arrived in Perth as a refugee from Liberia in 2008, and since that time he has become a leader and shining light in WA’s African community, earning the admiration and respect of politicians, bureaucrats, and community leaders.

African communities make up a large proportion of migrants in this state, and Joe realised with a steady influx of people from areas like Liberia, Sudan, Somalia, Congo and Burundi (Burindee), the population would continue to grow.

He saw an urgent need to engage and educate African youth, and despite pressing work and study commitments, devoted many hours to developing innovative programs to empower young men and women from all African groups, and provide them with leadership skills and a sense of pride.

He forged partnerships with state, local government and migrant groups and recently, as President of the Liberian Community of WA, brought together young people and elders to work towards a common goal of creating a safe and harmonious community for all Western Australians.

Sue Hedley is a pioneer in animal welfare, and founder and President of Saving Animals from Euthanasia, better known as SAFE, a not-for-profit volunteer based organisation, dedicated to the welfare of homeless animals.

SAFE started in 2003, when Sue developed an innovative program, based on volunteer foster carers providing temporary homes for abandoned animals in WA’s North West. In just over ten years, with the support of a team of passionate and dedicated volunteers, Sue has grown SAFE into one of WA’s largest and most successful animal welfare organisations, with ten branches across WA and hundreds of committed volunteers.

Sue works closely with her volunteers and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide training, guidance and advice. She acknowledges the contribution of her volunteers on her community radio program, on SAFE’s website and through personal and ongoing contact.

The late John Nagle was a volunteer with Outcare for 13 years including ten as a Board Member. His involvement with Youth Justice began in 1998. He was a successful mentor of young men both in and out of prison using sport as a pathway to reduce offending. He was passionate about rehabilitation.

In 2000 he was appointed an Official Visitor for Juvenile Custodial Services, a voluntary position which gave him the right to walk into any Youth Remand Centre in WA and talk to young offenders.

John acted as a mentor and provided guidance and support to long term offenders helping them deal with issues of institutionalization, and reintegration into society.

His voluntary commitment was seven days a week and he could often be found supporting the young men at Acacia prison on a weekend as they played their regular football game.

Miranda joined the Attadale Brownies at the age of 10. She became a Girl Guide Leader in 2005 at the age of 19. Miranda is an outstanding role model in enabling girls and young women to grow into confident, self-respecting and responsible community members. She has lead by example becoming personally involved in the local community, especially when service is required. She has also mentored and assisted other leaders to achieve their qualifications. Until recently she was a member of the Girl Guides State Management Committee.

Miranda's nine years as a Leader of girls and young women is proof of her long term commitment to others. At the same time she obtained a law degree and entered the paid work force.

Miranda has recently extended her commitment by accepting an appointment as a National Assistant Chief Commissioner. She is also the National Manager of the Olave Program for young women aged 18 to 30 years.

Miranda works within Guides from a local to global level, never sacrificing her local branch commitment for the status that comes with her global involvement. She is a remarkable young woman, always assiduous in what she does.

Joan Muhling has been volunteering for more than 65 years. During World War Two she ran street collections and was a member of the Volunteer Air Observers Corps. Volunteering to assist her country had a profound on the young Joan and the experience helped her to understand the power of voluntary work and the impact it can have on communities, regions and even countries.

Joan has volunteered for the City of Subiaco Meals on Wheels for an incredible 44 years. She volunteered with her husband and has now inspired her daughter to join her as the driver of the wheels. Joan does the car to house dash and always tries to stop a minute or two for a friendly chat. And all this at the inspirational age of 92!

Joan's outstanding volunteer journey has taken her down many roads. She has been a bus driver for Claremont Mental Hospital, she has worked to support the Subiaco Library, been a fund raiser for children's charities and was a six time president of the Rotary related organisation, Inner Wheel raising funds for community organisations and events.

Like other award nominees Joan sees herself as being lucky to be able to do something that gives value to others. She has demonstrated a true dedication to her community throughout her lifetime. She has encouraged intergenerational volunteering and her example and inspiration will be felt for many years to come.

Fran has been Volunteer Coordinator at Juniper aged care and community service providers since 2011. She oversees a wide range of volunteer programmes that produce positive results for thousands of older people every day. She is a very effective manager of a large number volunteers at multiple locations and works tirelessly to ensure that recognition and reward of volunteers are integral parts of all programmes. Feedback indicates that her efforts are successful and appreciated.

Fran seeks out new ways and programmes to involve volunteers for the benefit of Juniper. She has established a partnership with the Italo-Australian Welfare and Cultural Centre to benefit Juniper's Italian speaking residents. She recruited and screened 40 volunteers to act as "patients" for Curtin University Health Science students. She regularly accepts secondary school and work experience students into Juniper Volunteer Programmes.

These initiatives present challenges from which other less dedicated people may shy away. Fran’s initiative, skill and professionalism have ensured the ongoing success of Corporate Volunteering at Juniper. This programme has involved volunteering teams from Bankwest, Woodside, and North West Shelf Venture among others.

Fran's thoughtful and considerate approach to her role ensures a happy volunteer workforce; her organisational and communication skills ensure an excellently managed volunteer programme.

As Australia's largest independent oil and gas company, Woodside Energy demonstrates a strong commitment to communities. It provides hands on assistance through the deployment of hundreds of Woodside employees to volunteer thousands of hours on practical projects; it provides Not for Profit organisations with Woodside professionals to build capacity and capability using professional skills; it leads through example and becomes involved in the necessary discussions around establishing new avenues for corporate volunteering; and it exposes thousands more West Australians to the value of volunteering through the Woodside employee base, their families and friends.

Woodside was one of the first Australian organisations to provide paid volunteering leave, the first Corporate Member of Volunteering WA, and a founding member of the Corporate Volunteer Council. Volunteering is a key element in Woodside's Leadership and Management Development Framework and is recognised within Woodside as an important factor in developing outstanding leaders and forming engaged teams.

Volunteering is an integral part of Woodside's culture. In 2013 over 440 employees gave 5400 hours to volunteering.

In 2002 a small dedicated group of parents of children with Cystic Fibrosis decided to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis WA. At their first event, the 65 Roses Grand Ball they raised over 42 thousand dollars. Realising their potential as fundraisers who could make a real difference, this dedicated and hard working group continued to organise the Annual Grand Ball. To date have raised over one and a half million dollars which is donated to research and patient services. Their primary beneficiary is the Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust. They eventually became incorporated as Conquer Cystic Fibrosis to allow them to expand their fundraising efforts to further benefit people living with the illness.

Their funds have had a significant effect on the amount of research that is being carried out both nationally and internationally. Raising funds for a comparatively little known disease can be very hard, and education and profile building are crucial. The members have worked hard on this aspect of their operations. Conquer Cystic Fibrosis is entirely volunteer run. The volunteers are all parents and friends donating their time and energy to raise as much money as they can for their cause.

Aaron and his family arrived in Australia in 2006 as refugees from war torn Liberia. He saw that African migrants needed assistance with their resettlement and integration. In 2007 he formed the African Educational Forum as a social organisation. However he identified wider needs and in 2008 the Forum was renamed the African Australian Union and reorganised to provide services and raise awareness around issues of domestic violence, cross cultural awareness, education and training.

Aaron is a leader in the African community in Western Australia and volunteers tirelessly, giving up to 24 hours of volunteering a week as well as working a full time job. The AAU is wholly voluntary, and he has served as both President and Secretary.

Aaron sincerely believes that 'Education is the basis for all success' and he works tirelessly to instil that belief in all community members with whom he has contact. Aaron and the AAU have assisted hundreds of people to understand life in Western Australia and put them in touch with services that can help with the challenges they face.

Peter Rudd is one of the quiet achieving volunteers who spread goodwill through our society in a humble and selfless way. Peter devotes much time to raising funds for the Shenton Park Dogs Home. He can be found on weekends at the Peasholm Road Dog Beach collecting money, as well as toys, blankets and food for the Dog Refuge. He is a constant and reliable presence at the beach, and always greets his two and four legged friends with a welcoming smile. Even a broken leg did not keep him away for too long.

Peter also spends much time volunteering informally. He cares for his wife Margaret who suffers poor health and also spent much time caring for his mother and mother in law until their deaths. Peter was a blood donor for many years until his own illness prevented him from continuing in 2013.

As a community volunteer Peter represents exactly what that expression means.He devotes his spare time to helping others in a formal and informal way, and does it all with a positive spirit and a willing smile. His community would be a poorer place without him.

Ray Benetti has been actively involved as a dedicated volunteer with Fishers with Disabilities since its inception in 2000. He has been a driving force behind the organisation’s continuing and expanding presence and growth in Western Australia delivering jetty and boat fishing programs to children and adults living with disabilities. Ray worked at promoting and overseeing the progress and continuous development of the organisation as a board member between 2004 and 2012. He recognised the importance of advocacy, capacity building as well as how significant something as simple as catching a fish, and the smile it brings, can be to those who may not be given the opportunities that most people take for granted. The feelings of inclusion, independence and control build confidence, awareness and can bring about positive change in people’s lives.

Today, Ray continues to contribute time and ideas as a fishing volunteer each week and twice a year commits to regional tours delivering fishing activities to clients. He has also been a very active volunteer at the Marine Discovery Centre, as well as a Fisheries Volunteer Liaison Officer. Ray was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of the modified electrical rod and reel that the participants, who have a diversity of disabilities and capabilities, use.

Ray has embedded good practice for all activities and with good management of volunteers he maintained a robust and sustainable volunteer pool with a culture of community responsibility and social entrepreneurship

Kirsten Beidatsch is the Manager of the Mt Barker SES Unit and has resurrected the service within the town. Under her leadership the membership has doubled, the average age of members has dropped by half, and there has been increased training and certifications. In less than a year it has gone from an organisation facing closure, to one of the most vital and active in the region.

Kirsten is also a founder and current Chairperson of the Mt Barker Community Garden which teaches valuable skills and provides community involvement for people of all ages and abilities. Kirsten is also a volunteer on the Plantagenet Shire's Disability Access Committee working to ensure equal access for all of the shire's residents and for them to enjoy the town’s facilities regardless of their abilities. She is also on the Local Emergency Management Committee, and the Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee.

In everything that she does Kirsten involves all members of her community: the youth of Mt Barker, members of indigenous, migrant and seniors groups, people with all levels of ability or those experiencing problems with their health (mental or physical). They are all members of Kirsten’s community and she is passionate in ensuring their involvement. Kirsten is studying for an Environmental Anthropology degree and has tailored her study choices to match her core values – community and the environment – to better help her change the world to one in which we can all live more sustainably and safely.

Betty Fairclough has made an exemplary, lifelong contribution to the community. Betty is an outstanding example of a selfless individual who has given decades of service to older people as well as the wider community. Her respect and concern for humanity sets an extraordinary example to others. Betty’s caring, friendly attitude and hard work have made a difference to countless people especially among the elderly for whom she has a special admiration and for whom she has done most of her volunteering.

Throughout her long tradition of giving, most of Betty’s volunteering has been done with Juniper Aged Care. For many years she ran a Home Chef Service called “Easy Meals”. Betty assisted those less able than herself with shopping, getting to appointments and keeping in touch with family and friends. Betty’s special way of helping people who were feeling flat or lonely would always give them a lift: she might simply sit with them and their families and talk, providing a sympathetic ear to listen, and a positive feeling of friendship and connectedness. Her unpaid contribution has also included thousands of hours’ work organizing fashion parades and fetes for bushfire relief, cancer research and other causes.

Jan and her husband, Dr John Owen, established the Kimberley Dental Team after visiting Halls Creek in 2009. The need for the program was great and in order to ensure its successful operation and ability to meet demand, Jan quickly saw that it was necessary to establish an ongoing supply of skilled, committed volunteers to deliver the service. Jan brought together teams of volunteer dentists, nurses, therapists and administrative support staff. This army of skilled volunteers now visit up to ten communities each trip.

In her role Jan organises team rosters, coordinates the accommodation and transport, ensures availability of equipment, support facilities and records and most importantly the promotion of good practice principles and the national standards for volunteer involvement. Jan’s management of this service’s volunteers is a key factor in its success and has inspired many young dental health professionals to make a long term commitment to volunteering and to providing dental care to disadvantaged people across Western Australia.

Deloitte’s WA office, is a true example of the firm’s Responsible Business program which works to build a more prosperous and sustainable society by raising awareness and taking clear action to improve lives and build a more prosperous and sustainable society through its longtime, dedicated employee volunteering program. Since its inception, Deloitte staff have been involved in many volunteering and community events, giving thousands of hours of valuable service to hundreds of not-for-profit organisations.

Annually the Deloitte Impact Day sees over 250 staff undertake a variety of skilled and hands-on volunteering activities. Each year, over 100 Deliotte volunteers commit to the Oxfam Trailwalker which to date has raised over two and a half million dollars. Deliotte volunteers also provide Pro Bono Skilled Volunteering support and fundraising to organisations, including: CanTeen; Fairbridge; Cystic Fibrosis; Rocky Bay; Youth Focus; The Wirrpanda Foundation, and others. Employees are involved with the Deloitte Australian Reconciliation Action Plan as well as other specialist programmes.

Senior management at Deloitte nurture and promote a culture that recognises the importance of acting with integrity and care for the community and the planet. They listen to the passions and interests of staff and identify local causes to which they can provide support. Over half the staff volunteer in community activities and contribute more than 25,000 hours annually.

The Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades WA is the not-for-profit peak body that represents 26,000 members of our state’s 580 Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades that provide vital emergency services during times of emergency and disaster. Its role extends from supporting individual volunteers and brigades, to providing coordinated communication, infrastructure and volunteer development opportunities for its membership. The Association works to directly enhance enduring positive outcomes for volunteers, brigades and the community and at all times works to ensure the safety of its members.

Volunteer members of Bush Fire Brigades regularly work side-by-side with the state's 1,100 paid firefighters and provide an invaluable, vital service that otherwise would not exist – particularly in rural, regional and remote areas of Western Australia where fire is the primary natural hazard. For the breadth of service and responsibility it contributes, the association has one part-time paid member of staff, but at its centre is an engine driven by a very active voluntary Committee of Management, working to represent its membership of 26,000 volunteer heroes.

John has made a significant impact through his spirit of service and his business acumen to the social, cultural and economic well-being of Western Australia. John has committed himself to service as a volunteer, mentor, advisor and sponsor of the Portuguese community; to maintaining and recognising the multicultural heritage and traditions of the Fremantle community, and the Western Australian ethnic business community. His outstanding voluntary, philanthropic and benevolent contributions extend further into many other facets of community life in Western Australia.

John recognises the value and impact of communities working together to address areas of need. His willingness to take the initiative, to lead by example and to give back through volunteering his time, expertise and experience, has seen him support many organisations and causes. John uses his time to get access to business people, politicians and Government Officials on behalf of WA’s multicultural community and to achieve outcomes in recognition and funding that allow many volunteer involving organisations to continue their good work and provide benefits at grass roots level.

Br Olly has volunteered his time seven days a week for the past 17 years organising the project "Wheelchairs for Kids". His workshop in Wangara has provided voluntary work for more than 300 retired men and women as well as many hundreds of people, young and old, in activities outside the workshop. Wheelchairs for Kids strives to make 300 fully adjustable wheelchairs a month. The wheelchairs are manufactured to WHO guidelines and components are tested to International Standards. Since 1998, 30,384 wheelchairs have been shipped to needy children in 64 countries.

Olly has constantly applied his knowledge, imagination and energy to generate effective and efficient ways of improving wheelchair production. The longevity of the project and the reluctance of volunteers to miss their rostered time speaks for the qualities of Brother Olly and the team he leads. His genuine interest in each and every volunteer is tangible and creates an atmosphere of friendship in the workshop.

His goals for the project are clear and simple: Provide mobility with dignity for those in need, and to do this in an atmosphere of friendship and involving the young and the old. In addition to his commitment to Wheelchairs for Kids, Olly has dedicated his time and skills to helping others realize their potential and find purpose to their lives. Olly ‘walks the talk’ every day of his life and is an exemplary example of engaged, active citizenship and humanity in action.