NSW LGBTI community members recognised at ACON Honour Awards
Image: Honour Awards 2014 (Photo: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)
NINE people and organisations from across NSW and Australia were recognised for their service to the LGBTI community at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney’s Ivy Ballroom last night.
Now in its eighth year, the annual Honour Awards recognises outstanding achievements within or contributions to NSW’s LGBTI community.
The awards are also a gala fundraising event for ACON and LGBTI charity Aurora.
Winners were selected from a field of 140 nominations and 29 finalists, and the event was attended by over 350 people and raised over $50,000 for community initiatives supported by ACON and Aurora.
Cheryl “Webby” Webster received the Community Hero Award for over 20 years of service to the LGBTI community as a member and leader of many LGBTI community organisations and events.
Meanwhile, former staff and patients of Ward 17 South at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst were honoured with the ACON President’s Award in recognition of their contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of people affected by HIV and AIDS during the crisis in the 1980s.
The other recipients were Brendan Maclean, who took the Young Achiever Award for his work as a musician, actor, writer and broadcaster, for his advocacy on LGBTI rights and issues, and for many years of donating his time and talent for various LGBTI charity fundraisers; and the Bingham Cup Sydney 2014, who took the Community Organisation Award after securing and organising the world’s premier international gay ruby tournament, launching the first international study into homophobia in sport, and producing an anti-homophobia policy framework for Australian sport
Archer magazine took the Media Award, John Frost the Arts and Entertainment Award, Hellfire Club won the Business Award, the Health and Wellbeing Award went to Professor Andrew Grulich, while the new Cayte Latta Memorial Award for Visual Arts went to Ash Golsby.
ACON president Mark Orr congratulated the winners and all the finalists on their achievements and community service.
“Last night’s event was a truly inspirational and thoroughly entertaining evening and a great celebration of the dynamic spirit of our community,” he said.
(Main image credit: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)
