Upper North Shore volunteers have been crowned as local champions.
The Centre for Volunteering annually hosts the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards to celebrate the work of individuals and teams across the state.
This year, the 2025 Upper North Shore Volunteer of the Year award was presented to retired Turramurra pilot Glenn Bridgland. He volunteers his time and piloting experience with Little Wings where he flies sick rural and regional NSW children to receive medical treatment.
Max Harpham from Asquith was awarded the Upper North Shore Young Volunteer of the Year for his work as a mentor at The Shepherd Centre, supporting teenagers with hearing loss. When Max was 6 months old, he became the youngest baby to receive a bilateral cochlear implant at the Centre, and now Max is studying to be an. audiologist.
The Upper North Shore Adult Volunteer of the Year was presented to Declan O’Hare from Cherrybrook. Declan volunteers at the Justice Advocacy Service where he supports clients with cognitive and intellectual disability navigate the criminal system.
John Aitken from Pymble was crowned the Upper North Shore Emergency Volunteer of the Year. Over the past 15 years, John has volunteered with Marine Rescue Cottage Point and Marine Rescue Sydney, skippering rescue vessels across Cowan Creek and the Hawkesbury River to respond to emergencies callouts.
The Upper North Shore Volunteer Team of the Year was Hornsby Street Side Medics.
The Hornsby Street Side Medics team supports homeless people by providing them with free medical care. The team is made up of GPs, medical specialists, paramedics, nurses, allied health professionals, and support staff.
‘The NSW Government is continuing to work with The Centre for Volunteering to build a more diverse and inclusive volunteering sector so that all our volunteers feel respected and acknowledged for their work,’ said NSW Minister with responsibility for Volunteering, Jodie Harrison.
