John Wren named Citizen of the Year

The man synonymous with the silver screen in Broken Hill, John Wren, has been named our local Citizen of the Year.

John previously received a Citizenship Award back in the year 2000, but went one better at this year's Australia Day Awards to take out the top honour.

John's love of film began when he worked as a tray boy at the local picture theatre, and he went on to become Manager of the Belair Drive-in in 1976 before purchasing it in 1978.

Life was difficult for the film industry during this period, with television and the advent of video entertainment severely impacting on theatre attendance.

Falling numbers plus vandalism at the Drive-In eventually convinced John to close the business and instead concentrate on operating his Silver City Theatre, which he had purchased in 1979.

The theatre would prove to be a cornerstone of both John's career and the local community, with thousands flocking through the cinema's doors each week to enjoy movies.

John arguably became a local celebrity in his own right, and was regularly featured in local media wearing costumes to promote films at the cinema, often to raise funds for local charities and community groups.

At today's ceremony he received a standing ovation when his award was announced.

Although he has battled mobility issues in recent years, John strode to the podium to accept his award and address the Australia Day crowd.

During his speech he reminisced about the early days of Broken Hill, voiced his confidence in the city's younger generation, and also made an emotional tribute to his wife, Angelique, for all her support throughout his life.

Mayor Darriea Turley said John's indomitable spirit and unshakeable faith in the local community made him an ideal choice for Citizen of the Year.

"No matter what has been happening in the local economy or the film industry in general, John has always stayed the course and ensured we had a cinema here in Broken Hill," she said.

"I remember back in 2010 there was a lot of doom and gloom around the city's future, and there was John was spending thousands upgrading the cinema with all the latest technology.

"He just has this unshakeable faith in Broken Hill and its future, and he sets a great example with his positivity and hard work.

"And his speech today was just amazing. It was such a lovely tribute to his wife and the local community, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house."

In other awards given out today, Hannah Evers’ leadership qualities saw her named Young Citizen of the Year, while junior charity dynamo Zahli Finch received the Youth Encouragement Award.

Volunteering stalwarts William (Tony) Hiscox and Pamela Clarke shared Senior Citizen of the Year honours, while Stacey Evers received a Citizenship Award for her tireless work in raising awareness around autism.