Volunteers from the Mid-South Coast Branch of WIRES have won the 2020 NSW Volunteer Team of the Year, alongside the NSW Foodbank Distribution Centre.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 97-volunteer WIRES team, which covers Milton to to Tilba, was awarded for their work helping wildlife devastated by the bushfires.
The group completed more than 2750 rescues from early 2019 to early 2020 - with a 60 percent increase over the bushfire period.
"They gave their land and lounge rooms to help care for sick and injured animals at a time when they so desperately needed care and assistance," a spokesperson said.
"They performed all sorts of rescues from wallabies, wombats, birds and snakes - all while their own homes and those of their friends and family were also under threat.
The team includes three trained volunteer shooters who take on the responsibility to humanely euthanize injured animals.
"The team also includes three trained volunteer shooters who take on the responsibility to humanely euthanize injured animals."
NSW Volunteer of the Year Award winners include:
- Young Volunteer of the Year: Harpreet Kaur Dhillon from Eastwood
- Senior Volunteer of the Year: Amelia Butler from Broken Hill
- Volunteer Team of the Year - Joint winners: WIRES Mid-South Coast Branch volunteers and NSW Foodbank Distribution Centre Volunteers
- Corporate Volunteer of the Year: Andrew Bredin from Right Management
- Corporate Volunteer Team of the Year: The Greater Charitable Foundation
- Excellence in Vol Management: Kylie Elliott from the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation
- Volunteer of the Year and Adult Volunteer of the Year: Kim Hill from Buxton
The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are an annual program run by The Centre for Volunteering to recognise the outstanding work of volunteers in every region across NSW. The awards are in their 14th year.