The countdown is on for the 20th annual Gwydir Community Education and Business awards.
This year saw an overwhelming number of nominations for the awards with just over 140 nominations received over four categories, with 61 different business or employees being nominated.
Nominations (listed below) have been received from a range of sectors including hospitality and beauty, aged care and retail.
“The awards this year were really competitive” said Georgia Standerwick, Gwydir Council’s Marketing and Promotions Team Leader. “It is great to see so many deserving businesses and employees being recognised” said Georgia.
The nominations are judged by a panel of referees from across the shire who base their selection on a number of criteria, such as customer service and knowledge. The judging not only takes into account the number of nominations but, also the quality of the nomination. Nominations that demonstrate and give examples of why the nominee is worthy of the award, generally carry more weight with the judges.
The awards night started as the Vocational Education Awards Presentation evening for Warialda High and Bingara Central schools. Some years ago it was also decided to include businesses and their employees to encourage them to recognise the importance of continued training in the work force, and to reward them for their good service.
For many years the awards were divided into categories of Bingara, Warialda and the surrounds, however in 2015 it was decided that the awards would be judged as a whole of shire to change people’s thinking when it came to the idea of “shopping locally”. Shopping locally doesn’t just mean shopping in your own town, it also means shopping within the shire.
The awards are now an initiative of Gwydir Shire Council and the Gwydir Learning Region and are run in association with the local Business and Progress associations, with the awards ceremony being held alternately in Bingara and Warialda. This year the awards will be hosted by the Warialda and District Chamber who are working closely with Gwydir Shire Council to make the evening a success.
Nominations
Small Business
Leanne’s Sewing Shop (Leanne Harvey), Warialda
Warialda Ag Repairs (Bill Coulton) Warialda
Gwydir Meats (Larry McPherson) Warialda
Zensation Massage Therapy (Terry Hickman) Warialda
Warialda Freight (Janelle and Stephen Rose) Warialda
RenRut Hair (Jacky Smith) Warialda
Spoilt (Gail Smith) Warialda
Bella on Hope, (Sharnie Kent) Warialda
Glamour Nails and Isla’s Cubby House (Gaye Dunicliff) Warialda
Civic Café (Shane Engel) Warialda
Karen’s Coffee House (Karen Smith) Warialda
Shandie Irwin Remedial Massage (Shandi Irwin) Warialda
Romeo & Madden (Tarnie Hall) Warialda
Bingara Wattle Arts & Crafts Coop, Bingara
Dewberry Lane (Lenore Kennedy) Bingara
Pally styles (Amy Evans) Bingara
Bethel Farm Mill (Jo and Ralph Waters) Bingara
ABR Pest and Weed Management (Allan Reddan) Bingara
Lush Hair and Beauty (Skye Austin) Bingara
Samantha’s Beauty Room (Samantha Evans) Bingara
Bingara Newsagency (Rod King) Bingara
Ray White Rural Bingara (Chrissy and Russell Smyth) Bingara
Large Business
Warialda Engineering (Mick Davis) Warialda
Roger Moore Pty Ltd (Robbie Love) Warialda
Warialda Pharmacy (Debbie Reardon) Warialda
Warialda Medical Centre (Di and Clem Gordon) Warialda
Touriandi Lodge (Jennifer Brown) Bingara
Bingara Sporting Club (Tim Cox) Bingara
Australian Unity Homecare (Fiona McGowan) Bingara
Senior Employee
Kate Irwin, Warialda Vet Clinic
Richard Rowan, NRMA Roger Moore, Warialda
Sharon Baker, Naroo, Warialda
Paul Nelson, Total Ag Warialda
Mark Lysaught, Gwydir Meats Warialda
Jackie Carroll, Warialda Public School
Margaret Baxter, Warialda MPS,
David Smith, McGregors Warialda
Tony Fenton, Bizclean Warialda
Tanya Heaton, Bingara IGA
Rachel Bilsborough, Bingara IGA
Stephen Baker, Boooomooka and Glenroy
Tiffany Galvin, Bingara MPS
Jennifer Brown, Touriandi Lodge
Jennifer Mead, Gwydir Shire Council
Leeane Kilmore, Australian Unity Homecare, Bingara
Paul Andrews, Meat on Maitland, Bingara
Kelsey Andrews, Sapphire Salt Caves
Junior Employee
Alison Froome, Naroo, Warialda
Georgia Baxter, Gwydir Shire Council, Warialda
Jemmah Richardson, Gwydir Shire Council Bingara
Emma Armstrong, Bella on Hope, Warialda
Ardina Jackson, Total Ag Warialda
Nikki Adams, Gwydir Shire Council Bingara
Blain Harrison, Commercial Hotel Warialda
Cody Hardy, Warialda IGA
Laura Carroll, Warialda Standard
Tash Cooper, Bingara Newsagency
Katelyn South, Pally Styles, Bingara
Jimara Fernando, Bingara Pharmacy
Campbell Bond, Shell Service Station Bingara
The awards night will be held on Thursday November 16 at the Warialda Town Hall.
Tickets are $35 and include a two course meal prepared by the Friends of Naroo fundraising committee. Bar facilities are available.
Bookings for the evening close on Friday November 10. Book online or through Bingara and Warialda Visitor Information Centres.
