Emma Pritchard

An annual celebration which recognises the compassion, charitable, and selfless contributions made by a special group of locals, the 2023 Clarence Valley Citizens of the Year Awards welcomed a large crowd of over 100 people to the Grafton District Services Club (GDSC) last week.

As they were introduced to attendees by Clarence Valley Council (CVC) Mayor Ian Tiley, who described them as an inspirational group of people while acknowledging their incredible individual achievements, 14 nominees proudly united by their community spirit, received continuous rounds of applause as their unique stories and accolades were celebrated and shared across four categories.

Mayor Tiley said the awards were held on January 25 in accordance with current legislation which requires councils to host the event up to three days before or after January 26, while CVC General Manager Laura Black added it was a great opportunity to include the Australian citizenship ceremony as part of the celebrations.