Designer Emily Riggs from South Australia’s Mid-North has become the overall winner of the 2022 Shine Awards.
The Shine Awards are a joint initiative between The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman to celebrate the outstanding rural and regional women making their communities better places to live and work.
Riggs was honoured for establishing Iris & Wool, a brand that showcases sustainable Australian wool, honours her mother, who passed away after battling breast cancer, and gives a slice of profits to charity to help other families who are fighting the disease.
Harvey Norman chief executive officer Katie Page, who was on the judging panel, said Riggs’ vision, courage and determination to help others epitomised the 120 women nominated for this year’s awards.
Established six years ago, the Shine Awards celebrates rural and regional women who make a real difference to their communities and industries.
“Six years is a relatively short period and yet in that time drought, bushfire, Covid and floods have been such dominating, inescapable forces,” Page said.
“The brilliance of the women of Shine is that these collective challenges are not their story; their stories are one of triumph, innovation, determination and comradery.”
Emily Riggs, Iris & Wool Founder and Creative Director at home with her children Sam and Lucy. Picture Matt Turner.
Herald & Weekly Times chairman and News Corp Australia community ambassador Penny Fowler said the quality of nominees shone brighter every year.
“It is always a great honour to judge these awards, as these women truly make a difference to their communities,” Fowler said. “The Weekly Times is delighted to partner with Harvey Norman to bring these women’s incredible stories to life.
“This year’s finalists and winners are doing inspiring work and truly deserve the spotlight. As a company, we are proud to amplify these important stories across our news network.”
Over the past six years, the Shine Awards has attracted more than 1000 nominations and celebrated more than 100 finalists and winners from every state and territory.
This year’s 19 finalists include flood-relief volunteers, farmers, mental health advocates, businesswomen, educators and technology pioneers, hailing from South Australia, Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
Winners have been named in six categories: Belief, Courage, Dedication, Grace, Passion and Spirit, with a special Youth award going to a nominee under the age of 30 who shows potential to be a future leader in her field or endeavour.
Each category winner has been awarded a $2500 voucher from Harvey Norman, and the overall Shine Awards winner receives an additional $5000.
All finalists’ stories feature online and in print in a 32-page Shine magazine inserted in The Weekly Times, and in The Australian on Thursday, November 24 to further boost the awards’ national audience.
Emily Riggs, Iris & Wool Founder and Creative Director at home. Picture Matt Turner.
2022 Shine Awards winners
Belief: Bianca Tarrant, Our Cow founder, Baryulgil, NSW
Courage: Tanya-lee Holmes, Imperfectly Perfect Sugar Cookies founder, Bathurst, NSW
Dedication: Bloss Hickson, organic farmer, Rolleston, Queensland
Grace: Carly McKinnis and Tammie Meehan, Clinical Psychologist and teacher, Ararat, Victoria
Passion and Overall winner: Emily Riggs, Iris and Wool founder, Burra, South Australia
Spirit: Naomi Moran, Koori Mail general manager and flood relief coordinator, Lismore, NSW
Youth award: Claire Harris and Kate Strong, Hoedowns for Country Towns dancers, Maleny and Spring Creek, Queensland