Volunteer Recognition Awards

Sheena Smith has volunteered for Riding for the Disabled in Marsfield for more than 15 years. Sheena leads a dedicated team to care for the horses involved in the program as well as assist riders with their requirements. Her calm demeanour and wealth of knowledge has been of great benefit to both horses and riders involved in the program. In addition to her work with horses and riders, she helps coordinate volunteer rosters and serves as the centre’s key communicator for its volunteer days.

Sheena also helps promote the Riding for Disabled centre throughout the local community, talking to potential clients such as schools about the benefits the program can deliver each participant. Sheena is often the first to arrive at the stables, and invariably the last to leave. Her invaluable contribution to Riding for the Disabled has allowed the program to thrive, even through the challenges created by COVID-19. Recently, Riding for the Disabled celebrated its 10th birthday open day and Sheena was instrumental in ensuring the day was a huge success.

She is a true local legend. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the 2022 City of Ryde Volunteer of the Year – Sheena Smith.

Abby Hill volunteers for a number of care and disability services throughout the City of Ryde and beyond. For the past four years she has been involved in helping organise the Everybody Dance Now Discos, which are held up to five times a year for members of the community living with disabilities. In addition, Abby assists the Royal Rehab lifestyle choir with rehearsals and performances, including at the annual Carols on the Common event. She also volunteers for Sailability an organisation which supports people living with disability to enjoy the experience of sailing.

Above all else, Abby was instrumental in helping people living with a disability stay connected and engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic. She facilitated Everybody Dance Now Discos online via Zoom and created social media accounts to keep members connected. She also kept in phone contact with a number of people who either lived alone or were struggling with social isolation during the prolonged lockdowns. As you can tell, Abby is a true giver and passionate about those members of the community with special needs.

The Stryder Social and Shopping bus volunteers are made up of a team of six dedicated community members. The shopping bus volunteers travel with clients on the Stryder bus to Macquarie Shopping Centre twice a week. They assist the driver with the door-to-door pick up, stay at the centre with the clients and help them with their shopping, then do the same for the return trip.

The social bus volunteers, meanwhile, accompany clients on Stryder’s day trips. These trips are loved by all who take part as they offer the chance to get out of home and see Greater Sydney and its surrounds. The clients who use the Stryder service, many of whom are frail or elderly but still live in their own homes, greatly appreciate the efforts of the volunteers as it enables them to continue to live independently and lead happy and well-balanced lives.

In 2022 we introduced a new Award Category of ‘Community Heroes’. The heroes may have contributed in the past or present or may no longer be with us. Individuals can be nominated in both the Volunteer or Young Volunteer of the Year categories and the Community Hero category or in the Community Hero Category alone.

2022 Community Heroes Award Winners

The 2022 City of Ryde Community Heroes Award winners are listed below. We look forward to seeing their names on the new ‘Community Heroes Honour Board’ in Council chambers.

• Leasa Clark
• Kathy Tracy
• Barry Parsons
• Helen Pegler
• Barry Budd
• Rochelle Keshishian
• Kedarnath Pagaddinnimath
• Philip Brown
• Shaun Warden
• Jenny Nocom