On Thursday, the Minister for Housing Richard Wynne joined members of the social housing community for the awards ceremony. He said the award recipients had gone above and beyond to connect and support people in their neighbourhoods.
Judith Jackson, or Aunty Jacko as she is more commonly known, won the Frances Penington Award. She is a widely respected and loved elder and volunteer in the Port Phillip community.
Judith helped establish a weekly Wominjeka barbecue, which is an integral part of local Indigenous gathering place 'Our Rainbow Place'. She has also been advisor in groups such as Star Health, City of Port Phillip for NAIDOC week events, City of Kingston and Sisters of Mary in Carlton.
Linda Newman took out the Molly Hadfield Award. Linda volunteers as a member of Housing Choices Australia's Victorian Resident Advisory Committee and is a strong advocate for older renters. She has been an integral part of the committee, providing influential feedback, support and is a regular presence at many events.
About the awards
The Frances Penington Award honours the late Frances Penington, a Commissioner of Housing and the first woman on a Victorian statutory authority board. The award recognises a social housing renter who has made an outstanding voluntary contribution to their local community.
The Molly Hadfield Award is named after the late Mary (Molly) Hadfield, a dedicated advocate for public housing renters. The award honours a social housing renter who provides outstanding support to older renters.
For more information, see Social Housing Volunteer Awards.