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Hundreds of hardworking Hills volunteers honoured during National Volunteer Week
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Volunteers who have dedicated decades to serving The Hills Shire have been formally recognised with awards as part of National Volunteer Week celebrations.
National Volunteer Week, held from 19 to 25 May, shines a spotlight on the thousands of selfless individuals who give their time to support others and strengthen the fabric of their local communities.
Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne, praised the commitment and generosity of volunteers, describing them as essential to the success of Council-supported initiatives and countless community services.
“ I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our volunteers for their tireless dedication to making our community a better place to live, work, and play,” Mayor Byrne said.
“ Volunteering is a deeply rewarding experience, and National Volunteer Week is the perfect opportunity for us to publicly acknowledge and celebrate those who give so generously of themselves.”
This year’ s theme, Connecting Communities, highlights the power of volunteering to bring people together and foster social connection through acts of kindness and service.
Volunteers throughout the Shire contribute to a wide range of Council programs, including Bushcare, Friends of The Hills Library, the Hills Youth Army, S355 Committees, Meals on Wheels, and many others.
To express appreciation, Council hosted a complimentary screening of The Salt Path at Event Cinemas, Castle Hill, on Monday 19 May, and recognised long-serving volunteers at the 2025 Volunteer Awards Ceremony, held at the Norwest Council Chambers on Tuesday 20 May.
Among those honoured was Anne Krajc, who has devoted over 40 years to Meals on Wheels, providing both nourishment and companionship to hundreds of clients.
“ I’ ve always believed you can’ t just take— you also have to give something back,” Ms Krajc said.
Long-time Bushcare volunteers Les and Gloria Brown were also celebrated, having contributed more than 110 years of combined service. Les began volunteering when Eric Mobbs Reserve first opened and has served as chairman, secretary, and treasurer of the local S355 Committee.
“ You don’ t volunteer for rewards or recognition. It’ s about meeting new people and forming lifelong
Mayor Byrne pictured with Les and Gloria Brown.
friendships,” Les said.
Gloria continues to be an active and valued volunteer, undertaking essential tasks such as weeding, pruning, and preparing barbecues for fellow volunteers.
“ I absolutely love it. It’ s so rewarding to see the impact of our efforts and how much the community enjoys the environment,” she said.
Council supports a broad range of volunteering opportunities, including Bushcare, the Annangrove Environment Centre, Hills Youth Army, Friends of the Libraries, Hills Community Care, Bidjiwong Community Nursery, community events, Justice of the Peace services, and more.
To explore current opportunities, visit www. thehills. nsw. gov. au and search“ Volunteering”.
Sensory garden in Baulkham Hills renamed The Connie Anne Keith Sensory Garden
A sensory garden at Balcombe Heights Estate in Baulkham Hills has been officially renamed The Connie Anne Keith Sensory Garden.
Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne said it was fitting the garden be renamed after Ms Keith, who was the driving force behind the community space.
“ From coming up with the initial idea for the garden, to applying for the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program and working alongside Council and the garden’ s designer, Connie cultivated the sensory garden and brought it to life,” Mayor Byrne said.
“ Sensory gardens stimulate the four senses of sight, touch, hearing and smell, and have been shown to improve mental and physical wellbeing, especially for people with dementia or neurodivergent needs.”
“ The Connie Anne Keith Sensory Garden has become a cherished space for Balcombe Heights Estate patrons and visitors including Woodbury Autism Education and Hills Community Care and Hills Community Aid clients, which care for children with disability and people with dementia or neurodivergent needs.”
“ Connie has a long history of volunteering at Balcombe Heights Estate, stretching back to 2006 when she was part of a pottery group on-site and put her hand up to become Chair of the Balcombe Heights Estate Committee. She has held that position ever since.“
“ The renaming of the garden after Connie is a small way our community can recognise her incredible efforts over the past 19 years, which have included promoting the history of Balcombe Heights Estate, organising annual Remembrance Day ceremonies, opening the war memorial, planting trees as part of the Queen’ s Jubilee celebrations, and much more.”
The official renaming of the garden was celebrated on Monday, 19 May during a small ceremony with Ms Keith and her family.
Ms Keith emphasised the sensory garden belongs to everyone.
“ I wanted to have something that’ s going to be useful for the community and bring the community together. That was my main aim,” Ms Keith said.
“ It’ s incredible to have this space named after me so my children and grandchildren can enjoy it for many
Mayor of The Hills Shire Dr Michelle Byrne with Connie Keith at The Connie Anne Keith Sensory Garden
years to come.
“ While it’ s named after me which is a great honour, it is a garden for the community.”
The Sensory Garden at Balcombe Heights Estate, Baulkham Hills was funded by the NSW Government’ s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants
Program( formerly WestInvest). The garden was opened in November 2024 and renamed following community consultation. Its features include an accessible ramp as well as Aboriginal art symbols and colourful park furniture, designed to be a quiet place of reflection for visitors.
4 ISSUE 120 // JUNE 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT