Local community organisations and individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the community have been honoured at the City of Parramatta’s 2022 Australia Day Citizen of the Year Awards.
Award recipients were announced at a COVID-safe event at Rosehill Gardens today, following a special Lord Mayor’s Citizenship Ceremony where a small group of local residents received their Australian Citizenship. They hail from Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, Jordan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, the Syrian Arab Republic, United Kingdom and United States of America.
“The challenges presented by the pandemic over the last couple of years have really highlighted the incredible role individuals, local organisations and charities play in supporting our community,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Donna Davis said.
“Our Australia Day Citizen of the Year Awards give us an opportunity to recognise some of the excellent work that is being done by so many hard-working individuals and groups across our City to help others every single day. Their tireless dedication and generosity deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated.
“We are also thrilled to congratulate our newest Australian citizens on this momentous occasion. More than 120 nationalities and over 84 languages are represented in our City and that’s what makes our community so unique and special.”
Alicia Judge, an inclusion and diversity manager at Scribbles and Giggles Childcare Centres, took home the Young Citizen of the Year award for her efforts in working with families and connecting them with the right tools to help support their child’s needs.
Amar Singh, founding president of the Sikh charity Turbans 4 Australia, was awarded Citizen of the Year for his efforts in distributing donated goods to individuals and other Western Sydney charities in need throughout the pandemic.
The Senior Citizen of the Year Award went to volunteer Bipin Johri in recognition of his work helping adults and seniors improve their digital skills through his workshops at Dundas Library.
The Homicide Victims’ Support Group, an organisation that provides support to people who have lost a loved one through homicide, received the Community Group Award. The Group organises meetups, offers counselling and education, and advocates for criminal justice reform. Their next project is establishing ‘Grace’s Place’, a trauma recovery centre for grieving children and young people.
In addition to its high calibre of nominees and winners, the City of Parramatta is proud to have Ben Farinazzo, a veteran and dual Invictus Games gold medallist, as this year’s Australia Day Ambassador. Ben is a proud and passionate advocate for veterans, mental health, the healing power of sport, and is an Ambassador for Lifeline and Soldier On Australia.
“On behalf of the City of Parramatta, I would like to thank all our winners and nominees for the tireless work they do to support our community and make our City a better place to live,” Cr Davis said.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.