Canterbury-Bankstown Australia Day award winners: poet, disability advocate and community champion

A poet, disability advocate and Chinese community champion are Canterbury-Bankstown’s 2017 Australia Day award winners.

Sara Mansour has been named Canterbury-Bankstown’s 2017 Young Citizen of the Year.

A POET, disability advocate and Chinese community champion are Canterbury-Bankstown’s 2017 Australia Day award winners.

Colin Chen was named Citizen of the Year, Sara Mansour Young Citizen of the Year and Bob Beer Volunteer of the Year at a ceremony in Bankstown’s Bryan Brown Theatre this morning.

Mr Chen has been a tireless community volunteer for more than 12 years, and is currently one of the directors at Sydney’s Chinese Australian Services Society.

He was instrumental in the establishment of the Hua Xing Activity Group in Bankstown, which provides social and recreational activities for the Chinese community.

Mr Chen has also helps the migrant community with free weekly English class at Bankstown Navitas.

“I am honoured that my fellow community members thought of me, but the truth is

this award belongs to all the volunteers across our city who are continuously trying to

improve the wellbeing of others,” he said.

Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club’s Bob Beer, seen here with Jenny Bombardieri, has been named 2017 Canterbury-Bankstown Volunteer of the Year on Australia Day.

“Giving back to the community has given me a great sense of purpose, especially

because I’ve been able to help migrants adjust to life in Australia. It has been

rewarding to help others learn English, and to have them be involved in various

activities in our area in a fun and engaging way.”

Ms Mansour is the founder of Bankstown Poetry Slam, giving youth in western Sydney a vehicle to express themselves.

In addition to the monthly workshops and Poetry Slam performance evenings, which regularly

sees more than 300 people in attendance, Ms Mansour also introduced the program into

seven western Sydney high schools.

Last year the 23-year-old Punchbowl resident juggled the expansion of the Poetry Slam and studies at Western Sydney University where she recently completed her law degree.

“The Poetry Slam is my passion, so I really want to promote this powerful and positive

message to other young people in the community and let them know they have a voice and

can connect with other like-minded individuals,” Ms Mansour said.

Sara Mansour is the founder of Bankstown Poetry Slam.

“When I received the letter (to say that I was nominated) I was so surprised, I didn’t expect it

at all.

“I feel very grateful that there are people in the community that think of me as being a leader

and as an inspiration.”

Mr Beer, 68, has volunteered his time as a Justice of the Peace, the Bankstown SES and the Coast Guard for more than 25 years.

But it was his service to the Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club, an organisation that supports the lifestyle choices of people living with disability, that earned him the award.

Mr Beer helped deliver many programs for RSAC, planned countless fundraisers and is the president of the Parents Committee for Association for Children with Learning Difficulties, a founding member of Supported Employment Enterprises and is a committee member of Bankstown East Hills Handicapped Association.

Canterbury-Bankstown Council administrator Richard Colley congratulated the winners on their achievements.