Lane Cove’s 2026 Citizenship Awards

Lane Cove’s Citizenship Awards were held on 18 June 2026 to recognise the outstanding contribution of individuals and organisations within the Lane Cove community in the previous twelve months.

The Awards Ceremony was at the Pottery Green Performing Arts Space and was attended by the Mayor and all the Councillors.  At the start of the ppresentation ceremony Mayor Merri Southwood acknowledged the following previous Lane Cove Citizens of the Year:

• Christine Butters
• Dr Ray Kearney
• Lyndall McNally
• John Devine
• Bridget Kennedy
• Michelle Casiglia 

Tom Lawson – Citizen of the Year

Tom Lawson’s contribution to Greenwich spans decades, but his most enduring legacy is  the Greenwich Village Games.

First held in 1988, the Greenwich Village Games have become one of the community’s most cherished traditions. Remarkably, the Games have been held in every Olympic year since their inception, culminating in the most recent Games in 2025. For more than 35 years, Tom Lawson has been the driving force behind this uniquely local celebration, bringing generations of residents together through fun, friendship, community spirit and healthy competition.

What began as a neighbourhood event has become part of the fabric of Greenwich life. Thousands of children, families and residents have participated in the Games over the decades, creating memories that have lasted a lifetime. The event has fostered a strong sense of belonging and connection, strengthening community ties in a way few community initiatives can claim.

The impact of the Games extends far beyond sport and celebration. Through Tom Lawson’s leadership and a partnership with NSW Ambulance, the competitive spirit of the Games was harnessed to deliver a remarkable community safety initiative. During a single Games weekend, 675 residents signed up and trained as GoodSAM responders, creating a network of local volunteers ready to provide lifesaving assistance in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive. As a result, Greenwich now holds the distinction of having the highest density of CPR-trained residents in the Southern Hemisphere.

Beyond the Games, Tom Lawson has made a significant contribution through the Greenwich Community Association, including serving as President and helping establish the Association’s financial reserves. His foresight and stewardship ensured the organisation would have the resources needed to advocate effectively on behalf of the community for many years to come. Today, he continues to provide guidance and leadership on important local planning and advocacy matters, including major developments that shape the future of the area.

Tom Lawson has also been a steadfast advocate for local community infrastructure and public spaces. In particular, he has been a strong supporter of Greenwich Baths, helping ensure this treasured community asset remains safe, accessible and available for local families to enjoy.

What makes his contribution truly exceptional is its longevity and impact. He also served as a councillor between 2004 and 2008. For decades he has dedicated his time, energy and expertise to strengthening his community, not for recognition, but because he cares deeply about Greenwich and the people who call it home.

Few individuals can point to a legacy that has brought so much joy, connection, civic pride and community benefit to so many people over such a long period of time. Through the Greenwich Village Games, his community leadership and his tireless advocacy, Tom has helped shape the character of Greenwich and enriched the lives of generations of residents.

Paul Hummerston – Community Service

Paul’s contribution to the Lane Cove Public School Music Committee and Lane Cove Community Bands has been immense.

For 14 years, Paul volunteered on the Lane Cove Public School Music Committee, assisting with rehearsals, workshops, working bees, and excursions.

For the past 12 years he has tirelessly worked behind the scenes assisting the Lane Cove Community Bands.

His roles have included:

• membership officer since 2018
• band representative from 2020 to 202
• safety office
• librarian.

Paul enlisted in the Army Reserves as a radio officer int he mid 1970’s. This year after 50 years of service he will retire year as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.

Paul is also actively involved at St Giles Anglican Church in Greenwich as a warden and service leader.

Glenn Poynton – Sports and Leadership Award

As President of the Lane Cove Hunters Hill Cats Junior AFL Club, Glenn has helped transform the club.

Under his leadership, the club has achieved record participation in its Auskick and Superkick programs, introducing children as young as five to Australian Rules Football.

A particular highlight has been the significant growth in girls’ football, including the establishment of dedicated Under 9 and Under 11 girls’ teams. The club has also strengthened player development pathways, with several young athletes recently selected for the Sydney Swans Academy.

Beyond the field, Glenn has worked tirelessly to build strong community partnerships. He collaborated with the Lane Cove Public School P&C and AFL NSW/ACT to install new goal posts at the school and partnered with the Lane Cove Men’s Shed to create custom awards for the club’s presentation day, bringing together different parts of the community for the benefit of local families.

Glenn’s commitment extends well beyond AFL. He serves as a Committee Member of the Lane Cove Cricket Club, a Committee Member of the North Shore Swans AFL Club, Treasurer of Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios, and is an active representative on Lane Cove Council’s Sporting Club Advisory Committee.

Joshua Baker – Sports Citizen of the Year

As President of the Lane Cove Swim Club from 2021 to 2026, Joshua has

Under Joshua’s leadership the club was recognised as Swimming Australia’s Club of the Year in 2024

Lane Cove Swim Club was commended on their exponential growth since COVID, making it the largest swim club in NSW and third largest in Australia.

In 2025 the Lane Cove Swimming Club was named NSW’s Metro Club of the Year in 2025. Membership has grown by more than 15% annually, helping establish the club as the largest swimming club in New South Wales.

Joshua’s contribution extends well beyond administration. He has organised free community workshops, supported local school swimming carnivals, collaborated with Swimming NSW to strengthen participation pathways, and volunteered countless hours as a technical official at regional swimming events.

His commitment to community service reaches beyond the pool deck. Joshua has refereed for the Lane Cove Netball Club and volunteered as a CSIRO-supported STEM educator in local schools, inspiring young people to engage with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Mausmi Lata Music, Art & Culture

Over the past three years, Mausmi has actively strengthened community connections in Lane Cove through her initiative, Tara Events. Her work focuses on celebrating cultural diversity, encouraging participation, and creating welcoming spaces where families from all backgrounds can connect and feel at home.

She has organised the following:

• Holi Festival of Colours in The Canopy
• Navaratri Gala
• Kidpreneur Fest

She also volunteers at the Lane Cove Public School and helps at their World Food Festival.
She also held a sold out Bollywood Movie Night at Pottery Lane Theatre Space.

 

Kersh Sivakumaran Music, Art & Culture

Lane Cove local Kersh is the founder of Behind Closed Doors Theatre (BCD Theatre), a performance organisation dedicated to sharing the stories of diverse and marginalised communities in Australia.

Her award-winning production, And What Will People Say? was presented as part of the Lane Cove Festival and the 2025 Sydney Fringe Festival.

And What Will People Say is a 60-minute immersive experience sharing the lesser-heard story of women staying for the sake of their children in cases of domestic violence. The performance will explore the topic while combining the artist’s speciality in Indian classical dance, music and spoken word.

And What Will People Say? won Best in Spoken Word and Storytelling at the 2025 Sydney Fringe Festival, and Behind Closed Doors Theatre was named Emerging Producer.

Kersh is a member of  the Lane Cove Festival Advisory Committee and the Lane Cove Council Inclusive Communities Committee.  Kersh is also an active fundraiser for domestic violence organisations.

 

Lane Cove Council Workplace – Bernadette Riad Workplace Transformation

Bernadette Riad has demonstrated exceptional leadership and professionalism in advancing sustainability outcomes for Lane Cove Council and the wider community. Although she has only worked at Lane Cove Council since 2022, she has had a remarkable impact on the organisation.

Her work was instrumental in Lane Cove Council being recognised as the overall winner of the 2024 Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards, in addition to receiving divisional awards for Towards Net Zero Emissions and Innovation in Planning, Policies and Decision Making.

Over recent years, Bernadette has successfully delivered major initiatives including sustainability rebates, EV charging infrastructure, community renewable energy programs, Food Organics and Garden Organics services, and refreshed Sustainability and Climate Resilience Action Plans.

She has also championed sustainability outcomes in major Council projects and planning controls, ensuring environmental considerations are embedded across the organisation.

Lambrini Salaman – Workplace General

Lambrini is the longest-serving full-time early learning educator at Mirrabrook Early Learning Centre, having taught, inspired, and nurtured hundreds of young children in the Lane Cove community since the centre opened in January 2009. This year marks her eighteenth year of service.

Her responsibilities of caregiving, empathy, and nurturing extend far beyond employment. Lambrini’s knowledge and experience in supporting families strengthens the bonds between young families and the wider Lane Cove community.

You can see her impact everywhere in this suburb. When Lambrini walks through Lane Cove, she is regularly stopped by former students, now young adults, and their families, wanting to smile and say thank you.

In the Greek Orthodox tradition, the name Lambrini means “bright,” “radiant,” or “shining.” It is a name she lives up to every single day.

Jenny Huxley – Workplace General

Jenny’s career began in the legal system, working as a lawyer supporting women navigating the complexities of the court process. It was there that her extraordinary combination of empathy, determination, and clarity of purpose first came to the fore — qualities that have defined her entire career.

Over three decades, Jenny has shaped the domestic and family violence sector in profound and lasting ways. She chaired the Northern Sydney Violence Prevention Committee and led a groundbreaking trial in which specialist workers accompanied police to domestic violence incidents, a model that has influenced practice across the sector.

One of Jenny’s most enduring contributions is the creation of the Butterfly Cards, a discreet, culturally sensitive resource listing essential support contacts for women. Deliberately designed to resemble tampon packaging so they would go unnoticed, the cards are today printed in multiple languages and continue to support thousands of women across the region.

Jenny has also contributed to White Ribbon, reviewed men’s behaviour changes programs, strengthened accreditation processes, and ensured that Safety Action Meetings operate within correct consent and privacy frameworks.

For the past decade, Jenny has worked as an Intake and Assessment Worker and Manager across Northern Beaches and Lane Cove refuges supporting hundreds of women during some of the most frightening moments of their lives. Women who return to the service speak of Jenny as a marvellous support, remembering not only her professionalism but her steadiness and care.

Ryley Nolan – Young Person of the Year

This award is presented to a Lane Cove resident, aged 12 to 25, for achievement in any facet of life.

Ryley is fifteen years old St Ignatius College Riverview student.  In the Cove first featured Ryley in 2022 when Congratulations to Ryley and his brother Flynn, were awarded joint first place in the Years 5 – 6 section of The Science Teachers Association NSW Young Scientist Awards Program.

In sport, Ryley has captained his school’s water polo and volleyball teams, competed nationally in volleyball, and been selected to represent his school in an international water polo competition in Spain later this year. He has competed twice in the mile swim, 32 laps in under 60 minutes.

He holds a red belt in Taekwondo, where he was named most improved student, and has represented his school in chess for three years, receiving multiple awards from the NSW Chess Association.

In science, Ryley has won two Young Scientist NSW awards, been a regular entrant in the Eureka Science competition, co-authored articles in the NSW Teachers Association journal, and presented at the World Automation Congress where he also served as co-chair of the youth stream.

He has been mentioned in State Parliament for his academic achievements and is currently entering an innovative water stairs project in the Australian section of the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

In his community, Ryley volunteers with the Lane Cove Fun Run, is an active member of the Green Wolves environmental group at Riverview and is a member of Lane Cove Council’s Youth Advisory Group

Rod Cooke OAM Leadership

Its been a big year for Rod Cooke, who was recently awarded an OAM in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

Rod is a retired Lieutenant Colonel.

Since 2003 he has been the Vice-President, Lane Cove Sub-Branch, Returned and Services League of Australia.

In May 2025 Member for Lane Cove Mr Anthony Roberts made the following statement in NSW Parliament:

“I acknowledge the work of Lane Cove RSL Sub-Branch who in conjunction with Lane Cove Council continue to pay tribute to our Veterans with a solemn and well attended service on ANZAC Day. I pay tribute to the RSL Sub-Branch Members and particularly Rod Cooke and Graeme Davis for the work they do in ensuring such a well-attended and successful service.”

He is widely respected as a historian and public speaker, regularly delivering free talks at the Lane Cove Library on topics including the Battle of Crete and the German East Africa campaign.

His dedicated services have shaped the growth and significance of both the Lane Cove ANZAC DAY service and Remembrance Day in Lane Cove.

Beyond the RSL, Rod serves as Director and Chair of Strategy and Risk at Sydney Community Services, contributing to governance and strategic planning for an organisation that supports vulnerable members of our community.

Leesa Abrams Leadership

Leesa has had a leadership role with the Lane Cove Girl Guides for 15 years.  She joined the group as a youth member.

Leesa has developed and implemented a variety of outdoor and indoor programmes which assists in social, emotional, and community development.

Under her leadership, the girls have participated in Clean Up Australia, Anzac Day, September, the Lane Cove Rotary Fair, and fundraising for the RSPCA and other charities.

Leesa has also invested enormously in her own development as a leader. She recently completed her outdoor camping certificate after four assessment camps spanning several years, a qualification that will open extraordinary new opportunities for the girls she leads.

In a world where most young adults are focused on establishing their own careers and lives, Leesa has chosen to invest her time in making a real difference for the girls of Lane Cove.

Outstanding Business of the Year Cockatoo Comics

The Outstanding Business Award recognises a Lane Cove business that has made a remarkable contribution to community life going far beyond commerce to create something truly special.

Cockatoo Comics began its life in Lane Cove, where the founder’s family has lived for many years, before recently relocating to Marrickville. But its impact on the Lane Cove community is still very much felt.  The driving force behind Cockatoo Comics is Siobhan Coombs.

Cockatoo Comics created a space that was far more than a retail store.  Children and young people could come in to draw and hang out. The curation of comics, books, and graphic novels championed women and LGBTQIA+ creators, Australian comic makers, and First Nations and non-English-speaking background artists.

The store ran workshops in cooperation with the Lane Cove Council and the Lane Cove Library, and beyond the LGA organised the Sydney Comic Arts Marketplace, SCAMP, Sydney’s very first comics festival focused entirely on independent artists and publishers.

 

The Lane Cove Toy Library Sustainable Organisation

The Lane Cove Toy Library is a community-led initiative built on a simple but powerful idea: access over ownership.

By enabling families to borrow toys and resources rather than buy them, the Toy Library reduces waste, supports household affordability, and builds connection between residents.

The organisation embodies the principles of the circular economy in the most practical and family-friendly way. It promotes more mindful consumption, keeps resources in use for longer, and creates a shared space where Lane Cove families can come together.

The Lane Cove Toy Library is a wonderful example of what a sustainable organisation looks like one that puts community and environment at the centre of everything it does.

At The Lane Cove Toy Library, a single toy can be borrowed by dozens of families over many years, turning what might have been a few weeks of use in one household into hundreds of hours of shared play time.

By choosing to borrow instead of buy, Lane Cove families avoid adding to the 50% of toys that typically become waste within a year and help keep toys circulating locally rather than heading to landfill.

Parents and Grandparents regularly tell the hardworking Lane Cove Toy Library volunteers that borrowing is the perfect antidote to “36-day toys”: children still get the excitement of something new, but when the novelty wears off, the toy goes back on the shelf for another family instead of into the red bin.

The Lane Cove Toy Library invites families to rethink those headline statistics – especially around big sales periods – and to see a toy library membership as a simple, practical climate action that fits easily into everyday life.

Ovi Dutt Sustainable Citizen

Ovi works as an asset manager for some of Australia’s largest renewable energy assets. But his commitment to sustainability does not stop at the office door.

He has advocated for solar panels in his strata, actively sorts recycling, and can be found at every Lane Cove Sustainability Committee meeting offering practical, informed advice on how Council can go further on ESG and environmental outcomes.

Ovi is a rare combination: a professional whose expertise directly serves the environment, and a private citizen who lives those same values every day in his own community.

Ian & Lynn Patridge – Sustainable Citizen

Ian and Lyn have been among Council’s hardest-working Bushcare volunteers since 2004  that is twenty-two years of dedicated service to Lane Cove’s natural environment.

Together they have contributed to bush regeneration on multiple sites and even established their own Bush Friends site in Batten Reserve. Under their care, this site has been transformed from a weedy privet forest into a biodiverse and resilient native ecosystem. Their efforts go beyond bush regeneration — they have also organised and participated in rubbish clean-up events and conducted citizen science initiatives through Streamwatch.

After more than two decades, Ian and Lyn show absolutely no signs of slowing down, attending their Bushcare and Bush Friends sessions as reliably as ever.

The Bushland team at Lane Cove Council say they consider themselves lucky to have such dedicated volunteers.

Bella Garton – Young Sustainable Citizen

Bella is twelve years old. And she has already made a lasting difference to the marine environment of Sydney Harbour.

Concerned about the loss of marine habitat in our local waterways, Bella set out to advocate for the installation of Living Seawalls on marine infrastructure  structures designed to provide vital microhabitats for native and endangered marine species. Through research, community engagement, public advocacy, and a petition to Council, she worked tirelessly to raise awareness and build support for action.

Her efforts have now contributed to the installation of a Living Seawall  creating new habitat for marine life and supporting the long-term health of Sydney Harbour.

What makes Bella’s achievement so remarkable is not just the outcome, but the fact that she led the campaign herself. Her commitment, her ability to inspire others, and her willingness to speak up for a cause she believes in demonstrate leadership well beyond her years.

Bella is a passionate advocate, an emerging community leader, and an inspiring example of what young people can achieve when they combine vision, persistence, and action.

Penelope Margaret Gerstle – AM – Access and Inclusion Award

Penny has spent her life standing alongside people whose voices are too often overlooked people with disability, refugees, women and families facing extraordinary challenges.

One example of her impact came during the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan. Working with the Afghan community and humanitarian organisations, Penny helped vulnerable women and children find safety and begin rebuilding their lives. For those families, her work was not just advocacy—it was life-changing.

Closer to home, Penny has been a tireless champion for people with disability, promoting dignity, opportunity and inclusion. Through her leadership, volunteer work and advocacy, she has helped create communities where people are supported to participate, contribute and thrive.

Her remarkable service has been recognised nationally through her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia, but perhaps her greatest achievement is the difference she has made in the lives of countless individuals and families.

Penny’s compassion, courage and commitment to justice remind us that inclusion is not simply about policy—it is about people.