This week I had the honour of speaking at the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Volunteers help strengthen the fabric of our community, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to celebrate their service.

We are so fortunate to have hundreds of dedicated volunteers in our City, making the Randwick area a great place to live.

I was delighted to see the following Randwick City-based organisations nominated for awards – Courage to Care NSW, DIVA Charity, Junction Neighbourhood Centre, South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club, UNSW Health and Wellbeing Ambassador Program, NSW SES, and St Andrew’s Catholic Church.

Congratulations to all the award recipients and nominees and thank you for all you do.

This week is National Science Week, a fantastic opportunity to explore the wonders of our planet (and beyond!) through science.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a serious science nerd or just curious about how the world works, there’s something everyone. There are lots of events around Randwick City and online, so I encourage you to check out the National Science Week website today.

Spring is fast approaching, and to celebrate, we’re bringing our long-running Eco Living Festival together with the new Maroubra Beach Markets for a day of sustainable living workshops and local shopping.

The Eco Living Festival is one of Council’s signature events. For almost 20 years, crowds of Randwick locals have attended the festival for talks and workshops on how to live more sustainably.

The combined events will feature more than 130 general market and eco-focused stalls, as well as live entertainment, music, talks on topics such as energy saving hacks, electric vehicles, and how to plan a plastic-free event.

This year the festival will be on Sunday 1 September. You can book into a range of sustainable living workshops on our website.  

Next week is Children’s Book Week, and we’re kicking off our activities with a children’s party at the Lionel Bowen Library on Tuesday, featuring a magic show, book reading, and party games.

But the week’s not just about the parties – we’re also hosting a range of events and competitions for kids of all ages.

If your children loved The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart, they could get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into writing about space at talk by its author, Samera Kamaleddine. And the budding author in your family should check out the writers’ workshop with bestselling author of Willa and Woof, Jacqueline Harvey.

Check out the Randwick City Library website for more details and to book your spot.

With local government elections fast approaching (make sure to mark Saturday 14 September in your calendar!), this will be my final message to you as Mayor before my term ends.

It’s been an immense privilege to serve as Mayor of Randwick for the past year. I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to meet and work together with so many of you.

The diverse, caring and hardworking people of Randwick City are a source of constant inspiration.

Thank you for all you do.

Cr Philipa Veitch
Mayor or Randwick