Outstanding volunteers
Minister for Housing, Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell named 84 year old Denise Muir of Preston the winner of the annual Penington Award for 2011.
The award honours the work of the late Frances Penington who, as Commissioner of the Housing Commission, was the first female appointed to the board of a statutory authority in Victoria. Awarded annually since 1998 it recognises a public or community-managed housing tenant who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to their community.
At 84 Denise is the vice-chair of the East Preston East Reservoir Tenant Group, which shows a strong commitment to her community. Denise is also a community leader and community advocate.
Volunteers like Denise are important for public and social housing community wellbeing.
Four other nominees received special commendations:
- Pam Lysaght of Delacombe, tenant chair of the Grampians Regional Tenant Council, for her years of community work to make Delacombe a better place to live.
- Kaylene Chay of Seymour who is raising her grandchildren and is a member of the Resident Action Group and the Mitchell Suicide Prevention Network.
- The Housing Choices Australia (HCA) Resident Committee, based in Melbourne, whose members have demonstrated individual and shared commitments to improving HCA’s services to all tenants.
- Beverly Simpson of Fitzroy, who is caretaker of the community halls at Atherton Gardens and volunteers every school morning to help the Brotherhood of St Laurence Breakfast Club prepare children at Atherton Gardens for school each day.
Image caption: Minister for Housing, Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell and the 2011 Pennington Award winner Denise Muir.
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