2024 Annual General Meeting and End of Year Celebration
Surrounded by members, stakeholders and the community, the Leschenault Catchment Council presented our 2024 Annual Report on Wednesday 11th December at our AGM and End of Year Celebration at Saint Aidan Wines in Ferguson Valley.
LCC’s Chair Anne-Marie Offer presented the report in which she said, “The LCC is a very lean organisation, and most of our staff are part-time. What they have achieved during the 2023-24 financial year with limited resources is remarkable. The reach and impact of LCC is also in no small part due to volunteer help. Perhaps because of the shared purpose and connection, LCC has been supported by many voluntary hands and hours, both on our Board and in our community. It is important for funders and project partners to see the true value of investment in the LCC, in terms of the real return in total effort and impact through our team and volunteers, and the reach of our network.”
The report is now available to download here, where you can read about our accomplishments and impact over the last year.
Following the Annual General Meeting and necessary formalities, the LCC where joined by eco-guide Gary Muir of WOW Wilderness Experience Walpole, who ventured out of his beloved Walpole to join us in the Ferguson Valley and inspire our community with his stories of building community appreciation and participation in land care.
To finish the event, we wanted to hold a no-frills, fun awards ceremony to celebrate and recognise a couple of deserving environmental stewards in the Leschenault Catchment.
The awards were focused on community action and dedication and our four categories celebrated individuals that exemplify community stewardship. The Leschenault Catchment Council Staff and Board nominated individuals for each award.
In the category for Estuary Carer, the winner was Sue Kalab, who as an artist and environmentalist, uses her creative talents to raise awareness and advocate for local biodiversity. Sue’s tireless efforts to protect local wildlife and their habitats, and her pivotal role in establishing Birdlife Bunbury, span 40 years and have made a lasting impact locally.
In the category of Outstanding Volunteer, the winner was Ted Johnson, a long time and dedicated volunteer with the LCC. Ted regularly attends all our volunteer days, planting seedlings, collecting rubbish and joining busy bee activities. He regularly assists with workshops and events, teaching kids about estuary ecosystems, guiding possum drey construction, or helping build bat boxes. His energy and enthusiasm make Ted very deserving of the volunteer award.
In the category of Catchment Steward, the winner is Scott Bartholomew, for his dedication to conservation and responsible property management. Scott was a driving force in the South West Blackberry Scheme, regularly volunteers his time at community engagement events and workshops, and always encourages a shared responsibility in the protection of the natural environment, with particular focus on protecting biosecurity. Scott’s practical approach and leadership are a great example of what community stewardship looks like.
And finally we recognised our Life Member Award, to Beth Golden, a fixture in the southwest environmental community who served for 13 years on the LCC Board as both a dedicated Treasurer and Administration Committee Member. She shared her financial expertise and attention to detail - skills that were greatly appreciated in a growing organisation. We said farewell to Beth as a Board Member at our AGM last year, but we still see her regularly at LCC events. We recognise her valuable long-term dedication to our organisation and to the southwest environmental community.
