Bruce Cooper first joined the Somerton Fire Brigade 70 years ago, and while the 90-year-old doesn't fight fires anymore, he still volunteers to take sandwiches out to those who do.
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Mr Cooper was recognised alongside dozens of others at Tamworth Regional Council's Community Volunteer of the Year Awards. Mr Cooper won both the Overall Volunteer of the Year along with Senior Volunteer of the Year.
"I was just brought up that you supported your community, and I always have," Mr Cooper said.
"I joined the fire bridge out there about 70 years ago. I don't go to fires now, but I do go to the meetings.
"If there was a fire, I'd volunteer to take sandwiches out."
While he's given so much to the community, Mr Cooper said he'd got just as much back.
"I've made a lot of friends out of it over the years," he said.
"I still do a lot of work with Legacy, because I'm an ex-serviceman."
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Jenny Simpson won Adult Volunteer of the Year for her many endeavours in the Barraba community.
Jessica Kemp and Will Archer were both named Youth Volunteers of the Year, while Riding for the Disabled took out Volunteer Team of the Year for the wonderful work they do to bring joy to about 100 people with various special needs.
Acting Tamworth mayor Phil Betts said the 34 nominations received were the most council had ever received for the awards.
"It was extremely hard to pick, there is just so much depth," Cr Betts said.
Across the nation, about six million people volunteer every year, or about a quarter of Australia's population.
But Cr Betts believes Tamworth and the surrounding villages would be well above the national average.
"Volunteers are the backbone of our society. It's just a part of the fabric of our society," Cr Betts said.
Tamworth Regional Council volunteers coordinator Veronica Filby said council wanted to connect with as many of the volunteers and their organisations as it could over the next 12 months.
"We want to do what we can to support them, and hopefully encourage more people to volunteer," Ms Filby said.
"We want to highlight the great work they do."
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
