Meals on Wheels Australia’s inaugural Alison Meighan Award will acknowledge the unwavering commitment, dedication and hard work of the people, volunteers and services who make the valuable work of Meals on Wheels possible.
The Alison Meighan Awards are the first of their kind for Meals on Wheels Australia, the peak body for community meals providers in Australia.
In honour of the late Alison Meighan, the national awards recognise those who epitomise the Meals on Wheels ‘spirit’, while highlighting the significant impact Meals on Wheels has within Australian communities, promoting best practice and continual service improvement and inspiring support for Meals on Wheels.
President of Meals on Wheels Australia, Sharyn Broer says the national award is a respectful and purposeful way to honour Alison and the spirit and values that she and all who have built the iconic service stood for.
“Alison was one of Australia’s most passionate advocates of Meals on Wheels and epitomised the spirit of the service,” Ms Broer explains.
“She worked tirelessly because she never lost sight of the purpose of Meals on Wheels – to keep people well-nourished, connected and living independently in their own homes.”
“Alison recognised that Meals on Wheels is so much more than a nutritious meal to customers and their families. It provides a critical wellbeing check and opportunities for social connection to combat isolation and loneliness for the customer, as well as vital community connectedness for the volunteers.”
The Alison Meighan Awards includes two categories: the Outstanding Contribution Award (Individual) and the Service Excellence Award (Service).
A cash prize of $5,000 per award has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of Glen 20, which will fund the awards for two years.
Supporting the awards as the major sponsor has been a natural progression for iconic hygiene product brand Glen 20, who formed a valuable partnership with Meals on Wheels at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their incredible support has enabled Meals on Wheels to keep its vulnerable customers safe and healthy during the global pandemic, thanks to thousands of dollars worth of donated products, including Pine O Cleen antibacterial cleaning wipes and Glen 20 Disinfectant spray.
“Glen 20 is proud to announce its support of the inaugural Alison Meighan Awards, a natural extension of our close partnership with Meals on Wheels,” Category Marketing Manager at Reckitt, Pim Bolyn says.
“We think that the volunteers at Meals on Wheels are nothing short of incredible and recognise the critical role they play in ensuring our communities most vulnerable have support and peace of mind, values at the heart of Glen 20 which has been providing protection and peace of mind to Australians for over 55 years.”
Mrs Broer says she is thrilled Glen 20 have stepped forward as major sponsor of the awards and the winning recipients can be rewarded with a substantial prize.
“Meals on Wheels’ volunteers and grassroot services go above and beyond to support vulnerable members of our community. This is another way we can acknowledge and celebrate their dedication to their communities while strengthening the in-home community care and not-for-profit sector,” Mrs Broer says.
“We are incredibly grateful to Glen 20 as our valuable partner and thank them for their generous support of the Alison Meighan Awards and our shared purpose.”
The awards open for nomination in June 2022, with winners expected to be announced towards the end of the year.
For more information on the Alison Meighan Awards, including how to nominate click here.
