Citizen of the Year Awards

2025 Citizen of the Year

Nominations

The 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards nomination closing date has been extended until Sunday 17 November. 

Award Winners will be announced at a private awards ceremony to be held on Monday 20 January 2025.

Nominate Online

Alternatively, download the Nomination PDF Form below.

Every year the City of Ryde publicly acknowledges and recognises the outstanding accomplishments by individuals in our community who have excelled in their chosen field. Winners and nominations in the past have come from fields as diverse as sporting administrators, business leaders, fire fighters, church leaders, school captains, writers, youth workers and other entrepreneurs.

Categories

  • Citizen of the Year 2025 - Recognises outstanding service to the community over the last 5 years.
  • Young Citizen of the Year 2025 - Recognises outstanding service to the community over the last 5 years by a young person aged 12 -25yrs.
  • Sportsperson of the Year 2025 - Recognises outstanding service to the sporting community over the last 5 years.
  • Environmental Citizen of the Year 2025 - Recognises the service to the community through environmental and sustainable practices which benefit the community.

The awards are open to all Australian citizens living in the City of Ryde. The Young Citizen of the Year Award is open to Australian citizens between the ages of 12 and 25 years (as at 20 January 2025).

The awards are held under the auspices of the Australia Day Council of NSW and judging is conducted by a local selection panel. Winners are announced at Council’s Citizen of the year Awards Ceremony which will take place on Monday 20 January 2025.

2024 Winners

Citizen of the Year | Lyn Mann

As the Joey Scout Leader at East Ryde, Lyn – a Scouting volunteer for 40 years – provides valuable training and activities for young boys and girls in our local area. Such is her dedication that she continued to support families via online meetings during the pandemic lockdowns. Her contribution to the adult leader team is invaluable and, with over 150 members, 1st East Ryde Scout Group is now one of the largest and most successful Scout groups in NSW.

Young Citizen of the Year Nominees | Areg Grigorian

Areg has been active in the City of Ryde community since the age of eight, when he inspired Council’s Walk, Ride, Share campaign after seeing his brother injured in a bicycle accident. In 2018, he ran a Christmas appeal within the North Ryde community for patients at Westmead Children’s Hospital. As a member of St John’s Ambulance Juniors, Areg developed a passion for first aid that has now led to him undertaking a Bachelor of Paramedicine course.

Conditions of Entry

Categories

Citizen of the Year 2025 
Recognises outstanding service to the community over the last 5 years. 

Young Citizen of the Year 2025 
Recognises outstanding service to the community over the last 5 years by a young person aged 12 -25yrs. 

Sportsperson of the Year 2025
Recognises outstanding service to the sporting community over the last 5 years.  

Environmental Citizen of the Year 2025
Recognises the service to the community through environmental and sustainable practices which benefit the community.  

The awards are open to all Australian citizens living in the City of Ryde. The Young Citizen of the Year Award is open to Australian citizens between the ages of 12 and 25 years (as at 20 January 2025). The awards are held under the auspices of the Australia Day Council of NSW and judging is conducted by a local selection panel. Winners are announced at Council’s Citizen of the year Awards Ceremony which will take place on Monday 20 January 2025.  

How to Nominate

Carefully read the guidelines before nominating. Nominations close on Sunday 10 November 2024.

Complete and return the form attached or submit an online nomination.

In assessing a nomination, the judging panel may consider:

  • achievements in the year immediately prior to the nomination of the Award, as well as consideration of the nominee’s past achievements, longevity of service and ongoing contribution to the City of Ryde
  • broad community involvement
  • the benefit to the community from the nominee’s service or contribution
  • other recognition of the nominee's work
  • whether the nominee worked as part of a team and their role within the team
  • whether the nominee has had to overcome any particular challenges or hurdles

Nomination Guidelines

  1. Any individual who has made a noteworthy contribution to the City of Ryde during the current year and/or given outstanding service to the local community over a number of years shall be eligible
  2. Only nominations submitted on the approved nomination form or via the online web form will be accepted
  3. Nominations may be submitted by an individual or an organisation
  4. Young Citizen of the Year must be between 12 and 25 years of age as at 20 January 2025
  5. Previous Award recipients are eligible to be nominated again however only the contribution to the community since the last award will be considered during the judging process
  6. Unsuccessful nominees can be re-nominated in following years
  7. All Nominees must be residents of the City of Ryde
  8. Persons cannot nominate themselves
  9. Supporting written material and copies of other documents may be attached to the nomination form if desired
  10. The decision(s) of the judges are final, and no correspondence will be entered into
  11. The judging panel will consist of the Mayor or delegate of the City of Ryde, CEO or delegate of the City of Ryde and current Citizen of the Year.  
  12. Current City of Ryde Staff and Councillors cannot be nominated for an award
  13. City of Ryde Staff and Councillors may nominate people in the community with the exception of members of the Judging panel.
  14. Nominations close at 12.00am (midnight) on Sunday 10 November 2024.
  15. Those selected as finalists should be available to attend the City of Ryde’s Citizen of the Year Awards Ceremony on Monday 20 January 2025 (inability to attend does not disqualify entry)
  16. Nomination information in relation to winners may be used for publicity purposes
  17. Winners may be asked to make themselves available without cost for publicity purposes
  18. Organisations or individuals can submit a maximum of 2 nominations per organisation
 

Photo Gallery

View photos from the 2024 Citizen of the Year Awards ceremony.

2024 Citizen of the Year Awards

Contact us

For general enquiries regarding the Citizen of the Year Awards please contact community@ryde.nsw.gov.au.

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