Sally Gorman - Meeniyan

Sally Gorman is a capable and inspiring leader, who builds capacity in the local community through dedicated volunteer work across a number of initiatives, informal teaching and skills transfer, and through her custodianship of the Meeniyan Community Garden.

Sally advances community well-being in a number of ways, including as a current committee member and volunteer shop attendant at the Meeniyan and District Community Store and president of the Meeniyan Community Garden Inc. She has also had roles as a committee member and family activities coordinator for the Meeniyan Garlic Festival and volunteered at the Wolf Creek Community Alliance and Ecuador Permaculture Farm in previous years.

Sally works creatively and collaboratively with community groups to improve the local environment and the events offered. She is an excellent role model for the girls and women of all ages, supporting their engagement in community activities through skills development, collaborative planning and shared pride in the local environment.

In 2021, Sally has led a program of activity to expand the amenity and utility of the Meeniyan Community Garden that has resulted in tangible benefits for the community. The motives for the garden have expanded over the years, which has required careful place-based planning, evaluation and communication to deliver the needs of each member and adhere to what the broader community would like to see, identify with and enjoy.

The program involves a number of new elements that were established in 2021. This includes having wheelchair and pram accessible pathways, sustainable and quality garden beds, educational and informative garden techniques, picnic benches and a creative space for art, including a bike dome and sculptures. Sally has drawn plans, put proposals to garden members, sought Council grant funding, informed the community through our local newsletter and contributed to building a more attractive, creative, welcoming and inclusive public space.

By leading the program, Sally has made great changes for the community including increased social connection, community identity and pride; increased health and well-being from the opportunity to relax in a pleasant outdoor environment; increased skills and confidence in growing and cooking with fresh fruit and vegetables; more people visiting the garden and spending longer time there, and; developing community mentors to sustain and grow the garden.

Sally's excellent practical skills, her creativity and her capacity to work collaboratively with others have made the program an outstanding success.

Sally is a dedicated, generous and hardworking person who engages the community as an inspiring leader but is always the first to get her hands dirty. She is committed to effective planning and follow through, dedicated to getting the job done while simultaneously engaging and upskilling others, and highly capable in weaving everyone's contributions together to bring about positive results for the community.