Liverpool celebrates local achievers

7 November 2018

A special event was held at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre on 7 November to celebrate Liverpool’s 208th birthday and announce the Order of Liverpool Award winners.

Each year Council recognises the achievements of local people and the contributions they have made to enhance the quality of life within our city, in a voluntary capacity. Known as the Order of Liverpool Awards, the awards were created in 1979 by former Mayor Noel Short.

Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller congratulated all the Order of Liverpool Award winners.

“This year’s Order of Liverpool Award recipients are remarkable people who have helped to make our community a better place,” Mayor Waller said.

There are three categories of awards: The Companion of the Order of Liverpool is the most prestigious of the awards, followed by the Officer of the Order of Liverpool and the Member of the Order of Liverpool.

The Companion of the Order of Liverpool Award winners are: Colleen Thorne, Judith Banks, Kevin Moore and Aunty Norma Shelley OAM.

“Colleen Thorne has provided foster care for more than 280 children; she has lived in Liverpool for 20 years and been an active member of the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council,” Mayor Waller said.

“Judith Banks has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities, including Liverpool West Rotary and Quota; while Kevin Moore has worked tirelessly to support the welfare of homeless people in Liverpool and South West Sydney.

“Aunty Norma Shelley OAM is a retired teacher who gives her time to local community groups, including the Cerebral Palsy Association, Aboriginal Carers, South West Sydney Koori Interagency, the NSW Justices Association, and the Liverpool Council Aboriginal Consultative Committee.”

Full list of recipients:

Companion of the Order of Liverpool

Colleen Thorne

Colleen Thorne is a proud Aboriginal woman who has provided foster care for more than 280 children. She has lived in Liverpool for 20 years and been an active member of the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council and a lifetime member of the South West Metro Waratahs Aboriginal Football Club. She has also provided cultural advice and support to local schools and community groups, particularly during NAIDOC Week and Harmony Day.

Judith Banks

Judith Banks is a member of the Liverpool Combined Inner Wheel and helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities, including Liverpool West Rotary and Quota. She has also provided support as a volunteer for many other service clubs and charities over the years.

Kevin Moore

Kevin Moore has worked tirelessly to support the welfare of homeless people in Liverpool and South West Sydney. He regularly provides them with food, blankets, conversation and friendship and accompanies them to court if they need assistance. He also helps to put homeless people back in touch with their families.

Aunty Norma Shelley

Aunty Norma Shelley is a retired teacher who gives her time to local community groups, including the Cerebral Palsy Association, Aboriginal Carers, South West Sydney Koori Interagency, the NSW Justices Association, and the Liverpool Council Aboriginal Consultative Committee. She has received many prestigious awards for her contributions to the community over the years including the Order of Australia Medal, Premier’s Seniors Achievement Award and the Federal Government’s Seniors Achievement Award.

Officer of the Order of Liverpool

Elizabeth Platts

Elizabeth Platts has been a volunteer member of the NSW State Emergency Service for 16 years and risen to the rank of Deputy Local Controller. Her role requires significant engagement with the community and local organisations as well as the Local Emergency Management Committee.

Merrill Frew

Merrill Frew has been a volunteer scripture teacher at Marsden Road Public School for many years and also teaches English voluntarily to migrants in Liverpool. She provides support to migrants at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre and does volunteer work at All Saints Catholic Church. She is well known for her untiring support of the poor and sick.

Dr John Crozier

Dr John Crozier has been a surgeon at Liverpool Hospital since 1996 and devoted his spare time to preventing domestic violence against women. He has provided education and support for women to help lower the incidence of domestic violence in the Liverpool area.

Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll has been a volunteer member of the Liverpool State Emergency Service since 2002. He has contributed to flooding and emergency evacuation plans, training and rescue operations. He has taken on leadership of the unit as local Controller and planned the evacuation in the Georges River flood crisis in 2015. Anthony has worked tirelessly for the community in managing flood training, rescue and evacuation incidents in the Liverpool area.

Averil Johnston

Over the last 50 years, Averil Johnston has volunteered with many groups, including the HammondCare Residential Café, City of Liverpool RSL Women’s Auxilliary and Meals on Wheels. She is one of the unsung heroes of volunteering in the Liverpool area and gives her time generously to make a difference to the less fortunate in the community.

Alison Cukic

Alison Cukic has been an active member of the Friends of Liverpool Regional Museum and Collingwood House for more than 20 years, and a supporting member of The City of Liverpool and District Historical Society for 15 years. Alison has dressed in colonial costume for the Order of Liverpool Awards and Liverpool’s Birthday for many years and organises open days at Collingwood House, where she conducts tours and school groups – passing on her passion for Liverpool’s heritage to younger generations.

Member of the Order of Liverpool

Sheridan O’Brien

Sheridan O’Brien is a War Veterans Welfare Ambassador for Liverpool and co-founder of the Korean Missing in Action Memorial at Bigge Park. Sheridan assists widows and children of deceased Korean War Veterans and has worked tirelessly for the Korean Missing in Action Memorial.

Dr Ken Silburn

Until recently Dr Ken Silburn was a science teacher at Casula High School and gave his time on weekends and holidays by taking students on field trips related to science. He has been instrumental in getting young students to participate in the iSTEM (Invigorating Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) program. He was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Secondary Science teaching in 2015.

Ross Maiorana

Ross Maiorana has been associated with Kemps Creek United Soccer Club for the last 12 years as a Committee Member and Club President. Ross is a strong advocate for encouraging members to reach their potential and has helped to develop the talents of many soccer players. He has coordinated a number of improvements to the Club’s facilities and obtained grand funding and sponsorships.

Dianne Carstairs

Dianne Carstairs has been the Welfare Officer of the Liverpool Legacy Widows Club for the past 13 years. Dianne visits widows in nursing homes and hospitals and is an active member of the Liverpool RSL sub branch of the War Widows Club and a member of the Legacy Younger Widows Club. She is an outstanding volunteer who works quietly in the background and looks after many women in need.

John Scott

John Scott has been a member of the Moorebank and Liverpool District Hockey Clubs and Hockey Associations for 36 years.  In his role as school teacher, John has encouraged other schools to enter hockey competitions. He has organised many events from NSW Men’s and Women’s Hockey Championships as well as Junior Carnivals for many years.

Nola Howard

Nola Howard is a member of the Liverpool Legacy Widows and has been a Welfare Officer for the Club for six years, regularly visiting widows in nursing homes. Nola is on the Village and Residents Committee at Pine Grove village as a delegate and voice of the residents. She attends court cases to support residents and has studied aspects of Seniors Rights on behalf of Residents in Nursing Homes to advocate for residents’ rights.

Pam Browne

Pam Browne is the founding member and Chair of Liverpool Heritage Advisory Committee and Moorebank Heritage Group. Pam has been involved with documenting Liverpool’s history and has liaised with Liverpool City Council and the NSW Heritage Office on numerous plans of management.