HomeGeneralBrian Prince Awards honour local heroes

Brian Prince Awards honour local heroes

Brian Price Awards
Bundaberg Central President Mike Hiosan, Rural Fire Service Volunteer of the Year finalist Robert Coghlan, Queensland Ambulance Service Advanced Care Paramedic Stephen Smith, SES Volunteer of the Year finalist Sharyn Kilby, Emergency Department Dr Sandra Rattenbury, Laurel Prince, VMR Volunteer of the Year winner John Bedford, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Auxiliary Fire Fighter Lieutenant Darren Lawrence, Queensland Police Service Detective Senior Constable David May and David Prince at this year's Brian Price Awards.
Photo: contribute.

Local emergency services personnel were honoured for the vital roles they undertake in the community at the eighth annual Brian Prince Awards.

The Brian Prince Awards recognise those local heroes who go above and beyond the call of duty, whether it be a police officer, a life saver, firefighter or a volunteer.

VMR Bundaberg's John Bedford was awarded the Brian Prince Emergency Services Volunteer of the Year for his dedication to the Volunteer Marine Rescue service.

VMR Bundaberg public relations officer Dr Graham Kingston said John joined the then Bundaberg Air Sea Rescue nearly thirty years ago and he is now one of VMR’s longest serving, active members.

Graham said as a former manual arts teacher and a consummate craftsman, John had brought with him a range of valuable trade skills and he was quickly given responsibility for the maintenance of the Burnett Heads based facilities.

“His quiet, self-effacing nature belies his innate ability to design, fabricate and install a wide variety of major improvements, in addition to supervising contractors and organising volunteer labour,” Graham said.

“John is always willing to lend a hand and invariably gets things done with a minimum of fuss. Self-motivation and resourcefulness are also among many of his other admirable traits.”

Started by the Rotary Club of Bundaberg East and now continued by Rotary Club of Bundaberg Central the Brian Prince Awards are a way of saying thank you to the region's valued volunteers with a special award evening, which was held on Saturday night at the Bundaberg RSL Club.

Bundaberg Central Rotarian Brant Duff said the awards honoured the work of frontline workers and personnel from the local Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, and Queensland Health, in particular the Emergency Department at the Bundaberg Hospital, and volunteers from Queensland Surf Life Saving, SES, Rural Fire Service and Volunteer Marine Rescue.

Brant said each of these vital emergency services nominated a person they believed deserved recognition for the work they undertake in the Bundaberg community. 

Each of the volunteer groups submitted a finalist before the Volunteer of the Year was selected by the club.

He said the evening allowed for these emergency services to shine and be acknowledged for their professional excellence and dedication.

The awards were developed in the Bundaberg Region and are presented in remembrance of outstanding Rotarian and paramedic, Brian Prince.

Brian Prince Awards finalists 2021

  • Rural Fire Service Volunteer of the Year finalist: Robert Coghlan
  • SES Volunteer of the Year finalist: Sharyn Kilby
  • VMR Volunteer of the Year winner: John Bedford
  • Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Auxiliary Fire Fighter: Lieutenant Darren Lawrence
  • Queensland Police Service: Detective Senior Constable David May
  • Queensland Ambulance Service Advanced Care Paramedic II: Stephen Smith
  • Bundaberg Hospital Emergency Department: Dr Susan Rattenbury

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