Inverell volunteer receives top award for remarkable contribution

Inverell’s Thea Batterham has been named New England/Northern Inland Senior Volunteer of the year for her tremendous community contribution.
Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay presented her with the award at the Regional Awards ceremony in Armidale on Friday.
“Thea is one of those people who has contributed to making the Northern Tablelands the strongest volunteering electorate in the State,” he said.
“Her work for Camp Quality and many other good causes in Inverell and beyond is quite exceptional and it is good to see her receive this recognition.”
Ms Batterham was nominated for her work with Camp Quality and many other organizations in Inverell by Rosemary Bender, Heather Rose and Judith Hamilton.
She was one of 12 finalists for the annual awards and will now qualify as a finalist for the NSW Volunteer of the Year Award to be announced in Sydney on December 4.
In 1999 when Australian troops were sent to East Timor Ms Batterham lead a community group to send them comfort parcels of home made biscuits. She organises the biscuit baking roster, collects the biscuits, packs them and posts them off. This has continued for 11 years. She often receives letters from the recipients who regard these gifts from home as a real morale booster.
After her husband died in 2005 she trained as a grief counsellor because no such service was available locally. She now spends one afternoon a week giving free counselling to the community.
She is secretary of the Inverell Branch of Camp Quality which raises funds for children with cancer and their families for outings and holiday camps. During the year she organises two huge garage sales with the proceeds donated to Camp Quality, New England Volunteer Air Transport (NEVAT), and Neighbourhood Watch.
As well she billets a Sydney pilot who flies for NEVAT for six week periods ever few months to support the service. She is secretary of Neighbourhood Watch organising sponsors for the group’s newsletters and she has collated a recipe book from local cooks to raise funds. At a personal level Ms Batterham supports many people in the community in need of help by visiting them, taking them on outings and preparing meals for them . She is often called on to pick up people without transport and whip up a batch of biscuits for a good cause.