26 October 2012
Since 2006 Vision Australia has recognised the work of individuals, community groups and organisations that have helped or inspired people who are blind or have low vision to live life as independently as possible.
This year's award recipients include Peter Greco, Christine Casey, the National Australia Bank, and Lorin Nicolson. Their awards were presented today at Vision Australia's Annual General Meeting in Kooyong, Melbourne.
Peter Greco is the prime voice behind Vision Australia Radio in Adelaide and has been recognised for his contribution to the community with a prestigious Vision Australia Client Service Award.
Peter, who has sympathetic ophthalmia, started in radio over 20 years ago with the disability sport and recreation focussed 'Leisure Link' on Saturday evenings. Since 1993 he has presented blindness and low-vision centred 'Focal Point' and from 1998, the 'Vision Extra Program', both airing on Wednesday evenings on 5RPH.
Peter leads a strong production team, most of who are themselves blind or have low vision. Each week they produce over two hours of content for 5RPH.
Christine Casey has been recognised with an award for her contribution to braille music. Christine has attended Australia's annual braille music camp since she was nine and has also led the junior choir and, most recently, taken on the role of president of the music camp organising committee. Christine has taught braille to students at Victoria's state wide visual resource centre and has studied music and education at university, where she was actively involved in her university's disability council. Christine now teaches music in a mainstream classroom and has also found time to sit on Vision Australia's library advisory committee.
Lorin Nicholson, this year's recipients for the Vision Australia-Individual award, has been legally blind since the age of four, but has never let this slow him down. Lorin is a published author, motivational speaker, and an active advocate and fundraiser. However, his major achievements have all been on his bike.
For years Lorin has combined his love of cycling with the desire to raise money for Vision Australia. In 2010, Lorin, along with his brother Dean, rode from Freemantle, WA to Sydney, NSW, raising $15,000 for Vision Australia. Last year Lorin and his son Andrew rode 1800 km from Brisbane to Melbourne, where Lorin treated the crowd at Vision Australia's Carols by candlelight to a classical guitar performance.
The National Australia Bank has also been recognised with an award from Vision Australia for introducing Australia's first accessible audio enabled ATM over a decade ago. The National Australia Bank continues to be a leader in equitable banking solutions today.
"The introduction of audio enabled ATM's has given our clients the freedom to access their money independently;" said David Speyer, Acting CEO, Vision Australia.
"The Vision Australia awards are our way of thanking those generous organisations and individuals who give of their time and resources to support our work," said David Speyer, Acting CEO, Vision Australia.