ANGLICARE Worker wins 2008 Humanitarian Award
ANGLICARE refugee worker Cheryl Webster has won this year’s Refugee Council of Australia and Friend of STARTTS (Services for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) Humanitarian Award.
Recognised for her many years of service to the community, Cheryl’s work was celebrated on Thursday 19 June at the 2008 Refugee Art exhibition and Refugee Short Film Festival organised by the Refugee Council of Australia and STARTTS.
For Cheryl, it was a humbling experience to be recognised in such a way.
“They are very kind,” said Cheryl. “There are so many people who have worked in this field for as long as I have, if not longer and it was very kind of them to give me this award.”
“I was also very thankful for the support from our Anglicare staff who gave up their time to come and join the celebration. It is very humbling to receive recognition for what one does when I certainly have not ever done anything for recognition.”
More than a hundred people gathered at the Pitt Street Uniting Church to support the work of community organisations like Anglicare and recognise the lives and contributions of refugees in Australia.
At least 7% of Australians have been a refugee or have a parent or grandparent who has been a refugee. Many have become prominent in Australian business, government, education, the arts, sport and community life.
During Refugee Week, ANGLICARE celebrated the contribution of more than 700,000 refugees and humanitarian migrants over the past 60 years who have made Australia their home.
