A HIGHLY respected member of the Willaura community, Heather Fleming has been awarded the Council on the Ageing (COTA) Senior Achiever Award at the 2022 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards at Government House.

Ms Fleming was nominated by the East Grampians Health Service (EGHS) and was presented the award by the Victorian governor, Hon Linda Dessau AC, and minister for Ageing, Colin Brooks.

Attending the ceremony with her son Tom, family, friends, and supported by EGHS chief executive, Nick Bush, and community liaison officer, Jodie Holwell, Ms Fleming said that she was delighted and most grateful to receive the honour.

Ms Fleming was nominated as recognition for her contributions and achievements within her local community.

Her drive to participate has led her to hold many roles, including being secretary of the Art Toy and Activity Library from 2002-2009, a board member of EGHS from 2009-2019, a trust member of the EGHS Building for the Future Foundation since 2017, and a Community Advisory Committee member since 2019.

In 2019, for her benevolence to EGHS, she was awarded a Life Governorship which is the highest honour and most prestigious recognition that can be bestowed upon a person who has given an outstanding contribution over a prolonged period of time.

Additionally, in 2020 Ms Fleming joined the advisory board of the National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH).

While this role certainly meant a few Zoom meetings at the beginning, she has been a farmer for the last 30 years, so her role on the board is important in the process of providing local input to the Centre regarding decisions concerning the farming community.

Upon joining the advisory board for NCFH, she became a contributor to the Centre’s digital story telling project, ‘From Inside the Farm Gate: Rural Women’s Stories of Thriving and Surviving’.

Ms Fleming also contributed to the coffee table book, SnapshotRuralVic, which showcases entries from rural Victorians sharing their stories and experiences through photography as part of a 10-week campaign during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SnapshotRuralVic was designed to be a source of inspiration for participants and a way to virtually connect people in a positive and supportive way during the uncertainty of the pandemic.

She was incredibly honoured to be able to be a voice from and for her community, and the pride she holds for the community she is part of is exemplified in her benevolence.

Ms Fleming was gracious in her acceptance of the COTA Senior Achiever Award, and she also credited the award to the other volunteers in all the communities and organisations she was part of as they all played a role.

EGHS chief executive, Nick Bush, congratulated Ms Fleming on the award and said all at the health service were very proud of her achievements.

“Heather always ‘acts local’ and is always leading community events to help keep a community thriving, including helping within many organisations, and stepping up to take on roles such as president or secretary,” Mr Bush said.

“Heather is active in fundraising, including writing grant submissions and helping organise events.

“She has valuable skills in governance and in liaising with government and semi-government organisations on behalf of her community.

“Heather is also passionate about telling her community’s story - the community culture in Willaura and beyond has been enhanced and improved through her extensive work.”

Attending the ceremony at Parliament House was a thrill as Ms Fleming and her family, friends, and colleagues, were all able to share in the celebrations in the grandeur of the State Rooms.

“The trust that organisations like EGHS place in you is an enormous privilege - they trust you as a volunteer and to be trusted by organisations and local communities as I am is an honour,” she said.