Maitland MP Robyn Parker.
People are encouraged to nominate Maitland residents for the NSW Volunteer of the Year award.
And Maitland MP Robyn Parker has offered an added incentive for people to nominate.
Mrs Parker has introduced The Maitland Award, which will be presented to Maitland electorate finalists in the Hunter Region Volunteer of the Year award.
“The awards recognise exceptional volunteers in several categories, including youth, senior, team, corporate and volunteer management,” Mrs Parker said.
“These annual awards, run by the Centre for Volunteering, recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions of the two million-plus volunteers in NSW.
“I know there are many generous volunteers in Maitland who would be worthy nominees for these awards.
“The passion and commitment of our volunteers brings people together and makes our community stronger, which is why I’m introducing The Maitland Award to encourage that sense of community spirit.
“I hope these awards not only raise the profile of our dedicated volunteers, but encourage more people to think about how they can give back to their community.”
The Hunter Region winners will be named at a presentation in November.
The state winners will be announced on International Volunteer Day on December 5.
Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello said the state government had increased its funding of the NSW Volunteer of the Year awards to $30,000 a year.
“Thanks to this additional funding, the 19 regional award winners will receive greater recognition, including local award ceremonies and prizes,” Mr Dominello said.
“Volunteers in NSW contribute more than 240 million hours of voluntary work each year, estimated to be worth a remarkable $5 billion.”
To nominate visit www.nswvolunteerawards.com
Nominations close August 31 for individual and team categories, or October 31 for corporate and volunteer management categories.
