Be Inspired

The NSW Seniors Festival ambassador program is comprised of individuals in our community who embody the Be Inspired theme.

NSW Seniors Festival ambassadors share their wisdom and tips on enriching their lives through art, sport, technology, food, fashion, recreation and travel. They aim to inspire NSW seniors to get out and engage with their community, express themselves, and share their own unique stories and experiences.

The 2016 ambassadors will be announced in early 2016. 

The 2015 ambassadors were:

Ronne Arnold

Ronne is a performer, choreographer, teacher, and academic. Born in Philadelphia in the 30s, he first came to Australia in 1960 to appear in West Side Story and has lived here almost continuously since. In the 60s and 70s, Ronne was founder and artistic director of the Australian Contemporary Dance Company (later the Contemporary Dance Company of Australia). He has a special interest in Australian Indigenous dance, completing an MA and teaching in various capacities at the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA College). Ronne was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Dance Awards in 2013 and continues to teach at the Wesley Institute.

Robina Beard OAM

Robina is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer and teacher. She became recognisable nationwide thanks to her role as 'Madge' the manicurist in a 70s television commercial. She created her hit dance comedy skit, The Dying Swan, at the Sydney Opera House and has had a long career performing in many theatres across Australia. These days, Robina spends her time teaching seniors tap dancing and how to stay fit. Her passions include dancing and the theatre, as well as swimming, cooking, entertaining and puzzles.

Christine Bookallil-Pearce

Christine started her career in the early 60s at Woman's Day and The Sun and has been involved in fashion ever since. In the late 70s she was appointed fashion editor at Australian Women's Weekly and in the early 80s was made editor at Mode (now known as Harper's). Christine has also run her own businesses in jewellery, fashion design and fashion publicity and was pivotal in the development of Mercedes Australian Fashion Week. Over the last three decades, she has represented and consulted for local and international names in fashion and film, including Jenny Kee, Pierre Cardin and Dame Elizabeth Taylor and has dressed A-listers such as Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet for award ceremonies.

Nan Bosler OAM

As president of the Australian Seniors Computer Club Association (ASCCA), an organisation which aims to help older people make the most of modern technology, Nan is an ideal ambassador for adult education. A true believer in lifelong learning, Nan attended university for the first time in her fifties. Now aged 80, she has five tertiary qualifications and has written numerous books on subjects including history, technology for seniors and community management.

 

Jackie French 

Jackie is an award winning writer of children's and adult fiction, authoring books on ecology, gardening and wombats, and as the 2014-2015 Australian Children's Laureate, 2015 Senior Australian of the Year, and patron to numerous foundations and causes, Jackie is showing no signs of slowing down. Born in Sydney, Jackie grew up in Brisbane and moved to Araluen, near Braidwood, when she was in her early twenties. Living there to this day with her husband Bryan, they have turned their property into a conservation refuge for the area's rare and endangered species. Being dyslexic has certainly not hampered Jackie's writing career, and among over 140 books, she wrote I Spy a Great Reader to help teach children with dyslexia.

Anthony Gorringe OAM

Anthony is highly active in the Deaf community, including in his capacity as an ambassador for the NSW Deaf Society, where he attained life membership in 2006 for his significant contributions. A keen sportsman, Anthony has played lawn bowls for more than 47 years (including at an international level), has driven rally cars, judged swimming competitions and coached junior rugby league. Having studied accountancy at TAFE in his fifties, Anthony is proof that it's never too late to learn. Anthony embraces technology and loves using Skype and playing Candy Crush and is also teaching Auslan to his two-year-old grandson.

Kay Gorringe

Kay says she has less free time as a senior than when she was working. Not one to shy away from new experiences, Kay learnt to paint in her fifties and now exhibits and sells her artwork around NSW. Kay also learnt to drive in her fifties and is currently in the process of writing a book. She has lived in Orange with husband Anthony for over 40 years and together they enjoy caring for their great grandson from time-to-time and traveling the world.

Sally and Gordon Hammond

A professional writer and photographer team who just happen to be married, Sally and Gordon explore the ends of the Earth, discovering new tastes and sharing their stories through Sally's words and Gordon's stunning images. Sally is a food writer who has written over 30 books and contributed to many more. Gordon is also a videographer, author, web designer and creative advertising copywriter. He has won awards for his photography and writing and is author of two books in the field of human relationships, The Tangled Triangle and Caring for the Aged.

Warren Kermond OAM

Warren has been involved in the entertainment industry over the past 60 years and accordingly he has vast knowledge, credibility and understanding of the industry, both in Australia and internationally. Warren has been involved with Variety, the children's charity, since 1989 as NSW and national ambassador and has served on the international board. He is currently the chairman of the Australian Entertainment 'Mo' Awards (AEMA) and founded the Benevolent Fund in 1986. He has worked in theatre for over 50 years here and overseas and is known as Australia's premier song and dance man.

Professor Emeritus Ron McCallum AO

Ron is the first blind person to be appointed to a full professorship in any field at any university in Australia or New Zealand. In 2002 he achieved another first when he was made Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Sydney – becoming the first blind person to be appointed to such a position. A long time advocate for disability and social justice, Ron was the natural choice when he was elected as a member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, serving from 2009 to 2014. In 2011 he was awarded Senior Australian of the Year, and in 2013 Ron was appointed as a part time member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. He is married to Professor Mary Crock and they have one daughter and two sons.

Kumar Pereira

Before Kumar became a household name thanks to his impressive performance in the 2011 MasterChef series, this 63-year-old has worked as a graphic designer and teacher in Hong Kong, London and Sydney and has run his own consultancy. He celebrates his love of fresh produce in an online blog and last year had a cookbook published, Kumar's Family Cookbook. Both feature his own beautifully hand-drawn illustrations and recipes he creates with ingredients from his garden. Kumar has also just completed a set of illustrated all occasion cards which depict fruit, flowers and vegetables and feature quick and easy recipes. He lives in Sydney's Inner West with his wife and two sons.

Gladys Smit

A life-long community worker, Gladys coordinates bread donations for lower income budget groups in Campsie and Bankstown. She also runs a support group for vision-impaired people (VIP) in the Canterbury-Bankstown area. Now in her nineties, Gladys is a musician and the author of five books. Born in Singapore, where she lived during the Japanese occupation in World War II, Gladys travelled to Australia and settled in Campsie in 1975 where she lives to this day. Gladys says of her experience of losing her vision later in life: 'It's not what you have lost in life that counts, but what you do with what you have left. Being visually impaired should not deter us from moving on – we should move on regardless.'

Henri Szeps OAM

Henri was born in a Swiss World War II refugee camp and spent his early childhood travelling between Switzerland and Paris with his foster family and his mother. At eight-years-old, Henri and his family made the arduous journey to Sydney where they settled. In 1962, Henri began studying drama at the Ensemble Theatre and has been an actor on stage, screen and television ever since. Henri's most well-known role is as Robert Beare on the much loved Australian series, Mother and Son. He has written several books, can speak three languages, and in 2001 was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to the arts and the community.

Steve Widders

Steve is a descendant of the Anaiwan and Kamilaroi Aboriginal people of Northern NSW and is legally blind. Aged 60, he is recently retired after working for over 40 years. He is a member of the advisory board of Multicultural NSW, and involved with the NSW Disability Council, the NSW Police Force Disability Advisory Council and the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). Steve was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and is an Australia Day ambassador. He walked the Kokoda track in 2011 and in 2012 rode a tandem bicycle between Brisbane and Sydney to promote men's health and wellbeing. Steve is married to Sandra and has three children and 13 grandchildren.