HOMELESSNESS services advocate and Sunrise Rotary volunteer Lea Lloyd has been named the 2026 Mid North Coast Volunteer of the Year.
Ms Lloyd received the honour at the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards regional ceremony at the Westport Club in Port Macquarie.
She was recognised for her work supporting people experiencing financial hardship, hunger and homelessness across the region.
Ms Lloyd helped establish the Mid North Coast arm of Dignity Dishes, which provides free, nutritious meals to people facing financial difficulties or at risk of homelessness.
She has also served as Sunrise Rotary’s secretary for more than seven years, managing administration and membership records while liaising with community organisations.
The regional awards, hosted by The Centre for Volunteering, recognise the contribution of volunteers and volunteer teams across NSW.
Centre for Volunteering CEO Gemma Rygate said volunteers played an important role in building strong communities.
“Volunteers are role models for others, highlighting how volunteering can have such a positive impact on people and places,” Ms Rygate said.
“These awards celebrate the volunteering effort and impact.”
Other Mid North Coast winners included Port Macquarie Marine Rescue NSW volunteer Lilly De Belle, who was named Young Volunteer of the Year.
Fellow Marine Rescue NSW Port Macquarie volunteer Gary White received the Senior Volunteer of the Year Award after more than a decade of rescue, training and emergency service work.
The BlazeAid Mid Coast Flood Response received the Emergency Volunteer of the Year Award for its work helping farmers recover from the devastating 2025 floods.
The Community Transport Company Volunteer Team was named Volunteer Team of the Year for providing essential transport services to vulnerable people across the region.
Mid North Coast recipients will now be invited to represent the region at the NSW Volunteer of the Year State Gala Award Ceremony later this year.
By Sis HIGGINS
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