Brimbank Council announced the winners of the 2023 We Are Brimbank Awards at a special ceremony hosted by Mayor Cr Bruce Lancashire on Thursday 26 October 2023.
“The We Are Brimbank Awards pay tribute to the extraordinary groups and organisations making a positive difference in our community,” said Brimbank Mayor Cr Bruce Lancashire.
“This year’s winners include organisations that have shared and celebrated culture, improved health outcomes and saved lives, preserved Brimbank’s unique flora and fauna, helped those newly arrived to Australia and provide alternatives to traditional education pathways.”
The annual awards recognise the exceptional contributions, hard work and determination of organisations and community groups making a positive difference in the community. And the winners are:
Arts, Culture or Tourism Award Winner: Utsav Melbourne Association
Utsav Melbourne Association (UMA) hold events that celebrate Durga Puja Indian/Hindu festival, and other programs that assist the community including counselling sessions, fundraising drives and food deliveries to the homelessness and others in need.
Community Engagement Award Winner: Defib In Your Street (St John’s Ambulance)
Defib In Your Street provides free training programs and resources to community groups and schools, educating about First Aid, defibrillator use and emergency awareness.
Innovation Award Winner: Auschin Group
Auschin Group is a family-run commercial landscaping business established in 2018 to create employment opportunities for newly arrived Chin refugees. Auschin supports Chin and Burmese people with education, employment, settlement and community services and advocacy, as well as preserving the culture, traditions, and values of the Chin community.
Learning Excellence Award Winner: Hester Hornbrook Academy
Hester Hornbrook Academy provides free, high quality education with extensive wellbeing and academic supports to young people in the west.
Environment or Sustainability Award Joint winners: Friends of Sydenham Park and Friends of Iramoo
Friends of Sydenham Park actively contribute to preservation of Sydenham Park, to encourage use and promote environmental sustainability for the benefit of future generations.
Friends of Iramoo are passionate about native grasslands and sustainability in the west, who are well known for their work at the Iramoo Wildflower Grassland Reserve.
“We congratulate all the award winners and nominees, and thank them for their efforts in making Brimbank a better place to live, work and play,” concluded Mayor Cr Bruce Lancashire.
