Tuesday, 17 October 2023

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (16:38): Last week we had the pleasure of celebrating the Berwick Community Awards, which is a way to celebrate our local volunteers in the community – those that continue to give back, whether it is through schools, through community organisations or, like this year’s Berwick awards champion Andrew Fyfe, through the Berwick Show and Akoonah Park.

Andy gives so much back to the local community. He has been involved with the show for many decades. I know he has also got his children involved in giving back to the community. The work he has done down at Akoonah Park is celebrated for so many things – our markets, community programs and community support – but probably most well known is the Berwick Show. We are lucky to have the Berwick Show once a year. It is on the last weekend in February if anyone wants to come down.

I have been to the Berwick Show all but one year of my life so far, and it is one of the greatest highlights of my career to go back there in a work capacity and to speak to my local community in a positive way. We used to get down there and hand out balloons. We do not hand out balloons anymore – they are not very environmentally friendly – so we go across now with some of our bags. We have got better bags now to hand out to people so that they can use them in their shopping. I think it is really important and a great opportunity.

To all the others who were nominated from the schools and CFAs – like Peter Obeth, who has had 8000 turnouts as a CFA volunteer, all for free to give back to our community – I want to say to each and every one of you: thank you so much for everything you have done, not just from me but from everyone in the community. You are the people that make Berwick better, and I am sure working with you we are going to continue to improve people’s lives through your volunteerism.