An energetic dedication to fighting social isolation has won Glenys Reid the Bayside Citizen of the Year 2022 accolade.
Glenys is Managing Director of Chatty Café Scheme Australia, which has been piloting a program across Bayside that will potentially be rolled out across Victoria.
Glenys and her team have been working hard to get businesses across Bayside to sign up to become a Chatty Café venue.
Venues allocate a ‘chat’ table for the use of volunteer facilitators and community members who come along for a cuppa and some company.
Mayor of Bayside Cr Alex del Porto said Glenys’ hard work and dedication has made Chatty Café a success in Bayside.
“Chatty Café is an exceptional community program and we are delighted to recognise the great effort of Glenys by naming her Bayside Citizen of the Year,” Cr del Porto said.
The nominations for all our Australia Day Awards came, as always, from the community.
Cr del Porto said he was overwhelmed with the community spirit and work undertaken by all the nominees.
“As Mayor, I feel so proud to be part of a community that is so kind and considerate and it’s wonderful to see these community minded residents recognised, ” Cr del Porto said.
“All our nominees show what a great place Bayside is and how well it is impacted by the generosity, dedication and energy of people who care deeply about the place in which they live.”
Young Citizen of the Year
This award has gone to Kevin Thong who established the Self Made Project, which aims to minimise the education gap by offering free tutoring for students from Primary School all the way to VCE.
Senior Citizen of the Year
And proving age is no barrier to helping improve the lives of others, 80-year-old Brenda Todd has been a volunteer for eight years at the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre.
She also volunteers with Grandmothers for Refugees, the Brighton Bayside Life Activities Club and Brighton Theatre Company.
Brenda is Bayside Senior Citizen of the Year 2022.
The Environment Award for an Individual
This has been given to long-term affiliate of many and varied “Friends of ..” groups in Bayside, Sue Raverty.
The veteran environmentalist is known for her engaging contributions to the popular Banksia Bulletin and her much-loved lockdown videos of the reserves and open spaces in her 5k limit.
Environment Award – Community Group
St James Catholic Primary School has picked up this gong for their Sustainable School program.
Their fabulous Urban Food Forest, with containers of herbs, tomatoes and peppers, is just one wonderful element of a complete overhaul of their outdoor space.
Community Event of the Year
Following 89 days of lockdown in 2021, the community relished the opportunity for a pre-Christmas celebration and reconnection at Black Rock House Community Christmas Carols.
That much-welcomed and extremely well organised event has won the Friends of Black Rock House the Community Event of the Year award.
