Community turns out for Honour Awards

With many of the great and good of the state’s LGBTI community in attendance, the major themes at this year’s Honour Awards were youth and experience with six people and organisations from across NSW being recognised for their service to the GLBT community at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney tonight.

Held at Sun Room at The Ivy, the gala event for ACON saw over 200 people attend and $30,000 raised for vital community work.

Susan Brooks won the Community Hero Award for her service to the GLBT community as a member and supporter of several key GLBT community organisations and most recently as a founding and key member of The Pinnacle Foundation which provides scholarships and mentorships to marginalised and/or disadvantaged GLBT young people.

Gay and HIV activist Bill Whittaker (pictured), long regarded as being one of the architect’s of Australia widely respected response to the HIV epidemic, was also honoured on the night with the inaugural ACON President’s Award in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Other winners included Central Coast peer run support group Gen Q/Regional Youth Support Services for the Community Organisation Award; Mature Age Gays support group member John O’Dea was recognised with the Health & Wellbeing Award; playwright Tommy Murphy was bestowed with the Media, Arts & Entertainment Award; while Oxford Street stalwart the Stonewall Hotel received the Business Award for 15 years of dedicated service to the GLBT community.

ACON President Mark Orr congratulated the winners and all the finalists on their achievements and community service.

“The event was a truly inspirational and thoroughly entertaining evening and a great celebration of the dynamic spirit of our community,” Orr said.

“I’d like to thank all the people who submitted nominations as well as all our guests for coming along last night and supporting ACON, especially our guests of Honour NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner, NSW Legislative Council Don Harwin, Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and writer/director Stephan Elliot.”