Jan Fallding

Jan Fallding is a passionate advocate for music, tourism and the arts and devotes a considerable amount of her time to helping the Singleton community.

Jan was the Concert Coordinator for Sacred Spaces at the Singleton Sisters of Mercy Convent for almost 20 years until the closure in September last year.

Jan volunteered as coordinator of the inaugural Singleton Arts Festival in 2011, where 30 events were hosted in and around Singleton over a two-week period. Jan also assisted in the organisation of the Singleton Festival as a committee member in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

A talented violinist, Jan has volunteered at Singleton Public Library for 15 years, performing in the ever-popular Storytime segment for children. Jan helped restart and grow the Singleton Public School band program from 2011 - 2016, was an active P&C member and volunteered for music appreciation classes for special education, kindergarten and year one classes. Jan has also organised and participated as a band member in the Baerami Bush Dance, performed in the orchestra for Singleton Theatrical Society productions and advocated for the arts and tourism on the Singleton Arts and Culture Community Advisory Group, Singleton Cultural Development Advisory Committee and the Singleton Tourism Advisory Committee.

Wendy Lawson

For those familiar with the Broke Fordwich area, Wendy Lawson needs no introduction.

As a landholder and vigneron at Catherine Vale Wines, Wendy's contributions to our community are vast - from environmental protection, tourism and viticulture.

Wendy has been president of the Broke Bulga Landcare for over 20 years, Treasurer of the Singleton Landcare Network (and a member for two decades), and member of several other environmental groups including the Wollombi Catchment Water Users group, Upper Hunter Irrigators Committee and a community leader of the Broke Clean up Australia Day campaign.

A passionate advocate for local tourism, Wendy received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2012 for her contribution to tourism, viticulture and the environment.

Wendy is a life member of the Broke Fordwich Winegrowers Association, a founding member and former president of the Broke Fordwich Tourism Association, Chair of the Broke Bulga Fordwich and Milbrodale Alliance, member of the Singleton Tourism Advisory Board (2006), Vice President of Tourism Singleton Inc (1998-2004), Broke Village Fair, Singleton Wine and Roses (1998-2004), and the Broke Harvest and Heritage Festival.

Kenneth Mackett

As the Senior Deputy Captain of the Putty Rural Fire Service (RFS), 2020 was a busy year for Kenn Mackett.

In a horror start to the year, particularly on the NSW south coast and Victoria, it was the NSW Rural Fire Service - including thousands of volunteers like Kenn, who were on the front line. What started as a lightning bolt led to the Gospers Mountain "mega fire", which threatened homes in Putty and Howes Valley to the south of the Singleton local government area -the biggest forest fire to have started from a single ignition point that Australia has ever known.

Kenn was instrumental on the front-line protecting properties with the rest of his brigade, a blaze which eventually burnt through over a million hectares.

Kenn is passionate about the local environment as member of the Three Valleys Landcare Group and as part of the team involved in restoration of Putty Creek.

Kenn will celebrate his twentieth year as a volunteer firefighter this year.

Kay Sullivan

Kay Sullivan is President and a founding member of the Singleton Cancer Appeal Committee (SCA). As the leader of this hard-working and committed community group, Kay has raised considerable funds for Singleton Hospital to ensure locals can have access to medical treatment within Singleton rather than having to travel to Newcastle.

Kay has been successful in obtaining grants and sponsorship from many businesses and community members, funds that have been used to furbish four palliative care rooms at Singleton Health Service, the purchase of operating theatre equipment for early diagnosis of cancer and monitoring equipment for the palliative care rooms located within the Health Service.

Her most recent vision was the construction of the Singleton Memorial Sensory Garden located on the grounds of the Singleton Hospital, which was opened in March last year.

Kay has been a member of the Singleton Local Area Health Advisory Committee of Hunter New England Health and provides support and a voice for the community. Each week, Kay works with special needs children - an activity she undertakes with enthusiasm and compassion.

In 2019, Kay was a recipient of a Hunter Volunteer Award from Federal Member for the Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon, and recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2013 in acknowledgement of her outstanding community contribution.

Fred Turner

In hot and blustery conditions when the threat of bushfire escalates to reality, Fred Turner is among those heading towards the flames. The Rural Fire Service (RFS) Group Officer Hunter Valley has been a volunteer for almost forty years, starting out at Carrowbrook after taking over management of Lake St Clair.

Fred has since retired after 28 years overseeing the maintenance and operation of the lake, but his commitment to the RFS has only strengthened.

He rose through the ranks to Group Officer, and now plays a commanding role in managing fires, usually from the bird's-eye view of a helicopter. Fred has recently acquired an accredited air observer's qualification, enabling him to direct the helicopter pilot using his own knowledge of the Singleton district.

If his job as Group Officer isn't consuming enough, Fred has also found time over the last decade to dedicate to the Singleton Legacy Group (eight of those as Secretary), volunteers at the Australian Army Infantry Museum, is an honorary member of the Infantry Centre Sergeants Mess, and has been a member of the Singleton Lions Club and Singleton RSL Sub-Branch.