Civic Awards 2022 – recognising those who make a difference
Published on 24 February 2022
We are excited to announce the 2022 annual Civic Awards recipients recognised at a ceremony on 23 February for their efforts in helping make Maribyrnong a wonderful place to live, work and visit.
Message from the Mayor, Cr Anthony Tran
On Wednesday, we came together to recognise and congratulate the many individuals and organisations who go out of their way to improve the lives of so many in the City of Maribyrnong.
2021 was an incredibly challenging year as the pandemic continued to impact our lives, but our tight-knit community has shown its resilience through a host of creative and thoughtful ways to connect and support each other.
We show our appreciation to a wonderful group of nominees and recipients who have supported and given back to our community, ensuring our City is a great place to live, work and visit.
Citizen of the Year
Rodney Johnstone
For ten years, Rodney has been instrumental in supporting a number of community based organisations that focus on giving back to the City of Maribyrnong community. As President of the Footscray Hockey Club since 2014, Rodney has been at the forefront of creating a culture of inclusion and gender equity.
He has also played a significant role in supporting the cycling community. He founded Footscray’s Community Bike Hub, a not-for-profit organisation that repairs donated bicycles for those in need, reducing the amount of bikes going in to landfill.
Rodney's years of work with Footscray Rotary have also seen a greater number of members from diverse backgrounds taking up executive positions in the organisation.
Volunteer of the Year
Lorraine Woodman
For 30 years, Lorraine Woodman has been dedicated to seeing greater participation of young people with intellectual disabilities in sport, and has been instrumental in making this a reality for many young people in the West, particularly in the game of cricket.
Youth Leadership Award
Zac Chu
Zac Chu is founder of Diet to Save Earth, a youth-led movement with a vision of educating and mobilising young people around the world to take action on climate change. In recognition of his work, Zac was invited to represent Australia as a delegate to the 16th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youth.
Community Strengthening Award
Pradeep Tiwari
During his 30 years as a member of the West Footscray community, Pradeep Tiwari has been instrumental in organising a range of community events in the suburb. After seeing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on members of his community, Pradeep started a free grocery delivery service for older people and those living with a disability, working with other community organisations to provide groceries and essentials to over 300 recipients.
Belle Hadiwidjaja – Princess on Skates
Belle Hadiwidjaja found herself unable to put on her ice skates when the pandemic hit, so she strapped on her roller skates and an elaborate costume instead, bringing her own special brand of happiness to others during lockdowns. Whether as a dinosaur, a princess, a fairy, a butterfly or even a cow, her skating around her neighbourhood brought joy and laughter to those around her, improving the wellbeing of the community.
Enterprise Maribyrnong Award: Contribution to Business Community
Jules Brooke – She’s the Boss
At the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Jules – who has been a resident of Maribyrnong for over 25 years – realised the risks of isolation and the need for connection and support among the business women and female founders in the City of Maribyrnong. Jules established a regular Friday lunchtime event now attended and supported by over 1,500 women locally and internationally.
Enterprise Maribyrnong Award: New and Emerging Business Award
Assist Ability Australia
Assist Ability Australia provides services to people with disabilities, ranging from in-home support, education support, employment support or community access. Assist Ability Australia is a family run business created to empower people with disabilities to make informed choices about their care and the delivery of their service particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Enterprise Maribyrnong Award: Innovative Business Award
Sheridan Rose Shaw – MAMAWEST
In the midst of a global pandemic, Sheridan Rose Shaw was determined to change the landscape of hairdressing and small business through collaboration and community building. MAMAWEST continues to expand and has quickly developed a strong reputation for their commitment to quality service, inclusiveness and friendliness within the community.
Active Maribyrnong Sporting Award
Jeongsin Taekwondo
Jeongsin is a community based Taekwondo club that has been running for 15 years in Maidstone and is led by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kristy Busuttil. Through the practice of martial arts, although challenging in nature, Jeongsin provides the perfect environment for developing many positive personal attributes such as fitness, goal setting, resilience, humility and focus.
Arts Award
Pitchface
Pitchface provides a safe space for local women to explore their voices and discover a love for singing. During lockdown, when so many choirs were unable to operate, the organising committee created tutorials and virtual choir videos to support a shift to online singing. The Pitchface founders volunteer their time to run rehearsals, organise performances, and host online trivia events and musical picnics, creating a wonderful community spirit for women living in the City of Maribyrnong.
Mayoral Award
Thien-Giang Nguyen
Thien-Giang Nguyen was a driving force behind Happy Tet, an initiative launched by the Vietnamese Community in Australia (VCA) to deliver gifts to those significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic across Melbourne. At a time when many in the Vietnamese community would be celebrating Tet, or Vietnamese New Year, by gathering and exchanging gifts, instead the City found itself in lockdown and the community was unable to come together to connect. Thien-Giang worked with over 50 volunteers, and local organisations and businesses to provide over 1,000 gift packages to those in need.