Local heroes recognised with special community awards

George has had a long and distinguished association with the Hawkesbury campus of UWS and with the Greater Western Sydney region.

George began his studies in Dairy Technology in 1942, when the campus operated as the Hawkesbury Agricultural College (HAC). His training was interrupted in 1944 by the outbreak of the Second World War, but George returned to finish his studies in 1947.

George’s career began with the Department of Agriculture, at the Hawkesbury Dairy Factory. In 1958 he became a junior farmer supervisor with the Department of Education, where his association with HAC was renewed.

George joined the staff of UWS at Hawkesbury in 1970 and was responsible for organising practical training for Agriculture students until his retirement in 1986. He also served as Director of the UWS Hawkesbury Foundation for over 10 years, until he resigned in 2009.

George has a long association with the Castle Hill and Sydney Royal Agricultural Society Shows. He has organised exhibits and acted as a judge, a steward, and supervisor of the beef and dairy sections. The Royal Agriculture Society formally acknowledged his contributions by appointing him as an Honorary Member in 1990.

George also contributed to the development of local sporting clubs. In 1971 he began an association with Parramatta Referees Association that lasted until 2009. In 2006, he received life membership of the Sydney Western Referees Association for his service to rugby.

George has been a mentor and role model to many UWS students and is passionate about promoting the historical significance of the Hawkesbury campus and ensuring that its traditions continue into the future.

As the Managing Director of “All Together Now”, Priscilla is deeply committed to reducing racism in western Sydney and Australia more broadly.  

Established in 2010, All Together Now uses innovative techniques – including the use of social media and film – to help the community understand how the existence of racism impacts the wider community, and to empower people to address racism in a positive and proactive way.

Priscilla’s full-time role is as Managing Director of All Together Now, however the operational funding for the organisation only allows her to be paid for a single day of work each week. The fact that the rest of Priscilla’s time is given to the organisation voluntarily is a reflection of her commitment to “erasing racism” in Australia.

Through her work with All Together Now, Priscilla maintains close ties with the Greater Western Sydney region. Acting on evidence from University of Western Sydney’s Challenging Racism Project – which identified Parramatta as a key priority area in the fight against racism – Priscilla founded the ‘One Parramatta’ short film project as a means of encouraging local people to reflect on their common values and behaviours towards others.

Christine (Chris) Cawsey AM, FACEL is the immediate past president of the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council (NSWSPC) and a former member of the executive of the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association.Chris has a Master’s degree in educational administration from UWS and since 1997 has worked as the Principal of Rooty Hill High School – a highly successful, cosmopolitan, comprehensive 7–12 school in the western suburbs of Sydney.

From 2001-2005 Chris was a member of the Premier’s Council for Women. In 2007, she was a winner in the National Awards for Quality Schooling for Excellence by a Principal.

In April 2008 her book Learning for Leadership, written with Michelle Anderson from ACER, was published. As a result, she was named one of Sydney’s 100 Most Influential People by the Sydney Morning Herald in December 2008 and was awarded the Hedley Beare Prize for Educational Writing by ACEL in 2009.

In 2011, she was recognised with the Macquarie University Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to her profession and in August 2011 was appointed to the Board of the AFL’s newest club, the GWS Giants.

Christine was made a member of the Order of Australia in January 2012 for her leadership both as a Principal in western Sydney and in professional associations. She is a member of the Board of Linking Education and Philanthropy (LEAP) and since January 2013 she has been a member of the boards of The Smith Family and the Australian Council of Educational Leaders.

Rev Dr Aileen Gunawan is the co-founder and Executive Director of Hope Mission Centre.

Hope Mission Centre is a not-for-profit volunteer organisation, established in 1999 with the aim of strengthening local communities and helping individuals to find support, help and hope. The organisation offers a wide range of church services and community programs which focus on assisting the needy in the local community – with a particular focus on youth and restoring family values. 

From a young age, Rev Dr Aileen Gunawan has lived out her passion of helping others, reaching out to countless children, young people and families. Prior to co-founding the Hope Mission Centre, she was the Director of Children and Youth Services at Wesley Mission for 16 years, where she counselled children and families and organised training and events for young people.

Rev Dr Gunawan is an inspiring motivational speaker who presents at national and international seminars. Her leadership, ingenuity and tireless devotion in serving the community, especially young people, is remarkable.

While Bob Ingham is well known for his poultry and horse racing businesses, Mr Ingham has been recognised for the UWS Community Award for his outstanding philanthropic contributions to medical research.

Bob Ingham long held a vision for a research facility for South-West Sydney that would link clinical health services and universities to clinical practice. In 1996 he and his brother Jack became the founding benefactors to the Ingham Institute; their initial donation marking the beginning of their continuous support year after year.

Along with other community leaders from South-West Sydney, Bob campaigned tirelessly to gain government support for the Institute and in October 2012 “The Ingham”, a purpose built research facility, was opened by Prime Minister Julia Gillard adjacent to Liverpool Hospital.

“The Ingham”, a partnership between the Ingham Institute, Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS), the University of New South Wales and University of Western Sydney, focus on four broad areas: health services research, population health research, clinical research and biomedical research.

Bob’s vision, generosity, drive and commitment have resulted in a facility that will not only change the face of medical research and treatment in South-Western Sydney but also the world.

Ahmet is the Executive Director of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation, one of the leading and most active inter-faith organisations in Sydney. In addition, Ahmet is a “NSW ANZAC Centenary Ambassador,” chosen by the NSW Veteran Affairs Minister, Mr Victor Dominello, to be part of the committee.

In both a professional and personal capacity, Ahmet is an excellent role model, especially for religious youth, committed to making Australian society more cohesive and inclusive.  

In tireless efforts to promote the social and spiritual wellbeing of persons from diverse cultures and religious backgrounds, Ahmet and his organisation have led by example in strengthening religious harmony in Sydney.

By choosing to formulate constructive responses to negative events and promote education in the face of misinformation and misunderstanding, they have demonstrated the true power of dialogue. 

Ahmet is flying out this evening to lead a study tour to Turkey for the purpose of deepening relations and enhancing people’s understanding of different cultures. Ahmet informs us that he is humbled and honoured to receive this award today, and says he will “accept it on behalf of the silent champions of peace and members of Affinity.”

Michael is a graduate of the University of New South Wales’ Architecture program.

He is Founder and Managing Director of Felton Constructions, an architectural firm with a reputation in the boutique market for exceptional home, industrial and commercial designs.

Over the past 30 years, Michael has provided a great deal of community support to region of Greater Western Sydney by spearheading a number of philanthropic projects through Felton Constructions.

Of particular note has been the significant donation time, materials and support to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, to assist in the construction of their Prairiewood Facility – and more recently to assist in the construction of an extension to the building, which was made possible with funds from Health Workforce Australia.

This support to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance has greatly benefited students from the University of Western Sydney, by providing with a modern, state-of-the-art student education hub in which to undertake clinical placements.

Melissa graduated from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi in 1995, with a Master’s in Environmental Education. She also holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Social Work.

Melissa’s career in India began with research into the health and living conditions of underground cleaners in Mumbai. She also worked as the inter-country adoption coordinator for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.

Since 2000, Melissa has been the Manager and Executive Director of The Community Migrant Resource Centre, formerly known as The Hills Holroyd Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre.

The Migrant Resource Centre currently services the needs of more than 18,000 clients in western Sydney, predominately from the Hills, Parramatta and Blacktown local government areas.

Melissa’s work involves leading, directing and managing the development and delivery of supports and services to the newly arrived migrants and refugees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Melissa has guided the Migrant Resource Centre to develop lasting partnerships with external organisations, and actively engages with the community leaders to advocate for the needs of migrants and refugees.

James has made a remarkable contribution to our region. Drawing on his own life experiences, James has engaged with one of the most intractable challenges facing our society: alcohol and other drugs.

Since its beginnings in Australia over thirty years ago, Odyssey House has helped more than 30,000 people with drug and alcohol problems. As Odyssey House proclaims, their drug and alcohol programs provide 'A Calm in the Sea of Addiction' for thousands of drug-affected men and women and their families.

James came to Australia in 1981 and has been a Director of the Odyssey House program since 1984. As CEO, James has transitioned the Odyssey House residential rehabilitation program into a multi-service delivery organisation.

James works to ensure that the many bodies involved in the alcohol and other drugs field remain connected and working together, through his participation on a number of boards and peak bodies at the state, national and regional levels.

He has also been instrumental, through his partnership with the UWS School of Medicine, in ensuring that the next generation of medical practitioners are aware of the multifaceted nature of alcohol and other drug addiction and are capable of emphatically caring for people in this situation.

Frank is most famously recognised for his Rugby League career – playing over 175 first grade games for both the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and representing Samoa in two World Cups.

Frank’s professional sporting career, educational achievements and community involvement have led him to become a role model within the wider community. 

Frank graduated from a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) from the University of Western Sydney in 2006, and also completed a degree in Graphic Design whilst being a full-time first grade NRL player. 

Since retiring from NRL in 2011, Frank has used his sporting and creative educational talents to benefit the community. Frank was the Creative Producer Art and Sport at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre. Through the Body Pacifica project, he worked to showcase the contributions of NRL stars to the game, as well as acknowledging their diverse cultural heritage and ancestry.

Frank continues to have multiple influential roles, as Manager of the Rugby League Museum; the Creative Director of his own business, Puletua Creative; and as an Education and Welfare Co-ordinator at the Penrith Panthers where he mentors the next generation of NRL players, especially Pacific Islander players.