Key 2025 Award Winners include:
Chief Minister’s Volunteer of the Year Award:
Central Australia: Cate Driver – for her remarkable impact on the St John NT Alice Springs Youth Division. Since becoming Superintendent in 2024, she has created a supportive and positive environment where cadets feel empowered to grow, developing both confidence and leadership skills.
Top End: Felix Ho - sharing his skills and training as a paramedic and doctor with the community to help positively shape the community and the next generation and for dedicating over 800 hours in 2024 as the National Youth Officer (NYO), leading the Youth program of over 2500 youth members and leaders around Australia.
Chief Minister’s Youth Volunteer of the Year Award:
Central Australia: Elora Cole – despite being only 11 years old and a junior member of St John NT, Elora plays a crucial role in making volunteering more inclusive within St John NT in 2024. Despite her young age, she has actively encouraged and supported new members, ensuring that everyone feels valued and included.
Top End: Joshua Harrington – for his exceptional volunteer leadership skills within St John NT, particularly as the Secretary of the St John NT Youth Round Table since its inception in early 2024
Chief Minister’s Community Volunteer Organisation/Team of the Year Award:
Central Australia: The Alice Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigades – for working with landowners and the wider community to protect lives, property and the environment from the threat of wildfire in and around our end of the Northern Territory (NT).
Top End: Foodbank SA & NT - Foodbank NT team have distributed nearly 500,000kg of food relief for those experiencing food insecurity, enough to put more than 1 million meals on the table of those in need in the Territory in the last 12 months alone
INPEX Excellence in Volunteer Management Award:
Central Australia: Manish Kansakar – as chairman of the Nepalese Community Alice Springs (NCAS), being inclusive and welcoming, made all the difference in inspiring other volunteers to give him both time and support. As a result, each event has been more successful than ever.
Top End: Sue-Ellen Skinner – for fostering an inclusive and supportive environment by ensuring all volunteers feel valued, regardless of their experience, background, or skill level. Her dedication to volunteer management has led to remarkable growth and positive change within St John NT.
NTES Emergency Services Volunteer of the Year Award:
Central Australia: Rickie Casey – for his dedication as both an active firefighter and Crew Leader that has made a significant impact on the NT Fire and Rescue Service and the wider community.
Top End: Jacqueline Meggitt – for demonstrating exceptional dedication and commitment. In the past 16 months alone, she has regularly taken on long and demanding shifts—including overnight deployments and interstate travel.
NTSESVA Emergency Services Youth Volunteer of the Year Award:
Central Australia: Abby Cunnington – for the dedication and growth shown throughout her time with St John NT Youth Division.
Top End: Liam Leckie – for his proactive approach, often assisting fellow first aiders, providing comfort to patients, and showing a mature attitude in first aid situations.
NT Administrator's Grassroots Group of the Year Award:
This was the inaugural year for this Award which recognises and celebrates the commitment, impact and importance of groups that provide key local services, led positive change and support social and community life in the NT.
Top End: Darwin Free feeds – For providing hundreds of meals every Sunday with compassion that restores dignity, fosters understanding and a sense of belonging to people who are very often looked over, ignored by society as a whole. This organisation is run by 100% volunteers. 100% Grass roots. 100% NT. Darwin Free Feeds volunteers are very passionate about what they do and this really makes other people want to get involved.
Thank you to our Sponsors and His Honour and Ms Fran Kilgariff.
