Last month was that particular time of the year when we had the fleeting chance to be reflective. We reached the final hurdles of the year, tied up the remaining few knots and kissed goodbye to a year packed full of drama and memories that made 2023.

Being reflective allows us to shout out the people in our community who went above and beyond when they didn’t need to or had to. Volunteers make communities tick, and to shine a light on these members and groups gives us all the chance to say thank you.

2023 Volunteer of the Year award winners were announced, with a list of successful recipients dedicating time to a range of activities, from supporting victims of crime through the justice system to groups providing needed care to young people in the final days of their lives.

In NSW, volunteers make up a total of 4.3 million volunteers, contributing close to 900 million hours, worth a whopping $178 billion to our State’s wellbeing.

Awards are part of an annual program run by The Centre for Volunteering, CEO Gemma Rygate commented on the ceremony recipients.

“The awards recognise volunteers from communities across every corner of NSW. Volunteers are the lifeblood of local communities, and we need to recognise their contributions and thank them for their work.”

Now in its 17th year, the awards received a record of 133,000 nominations, proving the beating heart of NSW communities for their beloved volunteers.

Among the winners are a few of our own local residents and group volunteers who got the nod in the recent awards ceremony.

Young Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Roseville local High School student Rebecca Ju, who provides marketing, program management, administration, and leadership support for youth, human rights, and sustainability programs.

Adult Volunteer of the Year was taken out by Anthia Kollaras, who has volunteered with the Waverley Woollahra SES for the past 14 years, working as a Team Leader, Rescue Officer and now as the Deputy Unit Commander for Operations.

The Volunteer Team of the Year was awarded to the Bear Cottage Children’s Hospice Volunteer team in Manly, which provides various support to children and families referred there for respite or end-of-life care. The 111 volunteer team members range in age from 18 to 80 and provide help with administration, housekeeping, cooking, gardening, play, art and photography, dog walking and other services.

Congratulations to all winners of the Volunteer of the Year award in 2023, a fantastic achievement for a group of the state’s most deserving people.