A Tasmanian woman who established a charity to deliver anti-bullying and emotional wellbeing to schoolchildren in honour of her daughter who died in a horse accident has been named overall winner of the 2024 Shine Awards, a joint initiative between The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman.
Channelling the grief from her 12-year-old daughter Billie’s death in 2016, Danny Mayson-Kinder established the b kinder foundation – the name is based on Billie’s initials – which has created meaningful change in children’s lives across Australia.
Using Billie’s writings, Danny posthumously published a best-selling book titled Hope.
Danny now runs a range of initiatives like the b kinder council, b kinder Day, school leadership program, Billie’s Bench, and Walk for a Kinder World events.
Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page said: “This year’s Shine Awards overall winner Tasmanian, Danny Mayson Kinder personifies why these awards were first established eight years ago.
“Danny is helping parents and teachers to support children navigate bullying, loneliness and mental health issues, in the face of her own personal, immense loss.
“To have helped thousands of children in crisis and their families is extraordinary – her real contribution extends Australia-wide, far beyond her hometown of Primrose Sands.
“The Shine Awards are our opportunity to recognise her work and the contribution of the 2024 category winners and finalists. Most importantly, this is our chance to say thank you.”
Herald & Weekly Times chairman and News Corp Australia’s community ambassador Penny Fowler said: “For eight years now we have worked in partnership with Harvey Norman to shine a light on well over a thousand outstanding, resilient, generous women across rural and regional Australia who often overcome adversity to become beacons of their communities.
“The Shine Awards reflect our company’s belief in creating positive change through news and advocacy.”
Shine Awards magazine
Natalie Kotsios, deputy editor of The Weekly Times, told Mediaweek full details of the awards and all the winners are contained in a Shine Awards magazine. The publication is inserted in the new edition of The Weekly Times this week. It will also be inserted in The Australian on Thursday.
After nine years on The Weekly Times, Kotsios was all over the project this year. “My role has been to organise the launch stories, collating nominees as they come in from the public, getting stories researched and written on each of the nominees and finalists, putting together the shortlists and then coordinating work on the magazine with all the finalists and winners.”
There were a total of 19 Shine Awards finalists. Kotsios noted they were all worthy nominees.
“Getting all the nominees down to 19 finalists was quite a task. We took that shortlist to the judging panel. Then taking that list from 19 to seven category winners was challenging. The work all those nominees are doing in their communities or further afield is really quite remarkable.
“We had finalists from all over Australia and as it’s turned out this year, there’s actually a winner from every state except for WA, although there were some finalists from that state.”
Although Kotsios admitted she sits at her desk most days, she explained: “The best parts of working for The Weekly Times, and I think any of our journos would attest to this, is that ability to get out on the road and just see all these different corners of Australia, and the work that farmers are doing on the land. It’s just remarkable.”
Each category winner has been awarded a $2500 voucher from Harvey Norman and the overall Shine Awards winner receives an additional $5000.
The Weekly Times’ Natalie Kotsios
2024 Shine Awards Winners
Belief: Kelly Johnson, Wall Flat, South Australia
Launched Woodlane Orchards, a dried fruit snacks business using seconds fruit from local farmers in an effort to reduce food waste, after seeing just how much product was ending up in the bin.
Courage: Danny Mayson-Kinder, Primrose Sands, Tasmania
Founder of b kinder foundation, a charity focused on delivering anti-bullying and emotional wellbeing programs to schoolkids, in honour of her 12-year-old daughter, who died in a horse accident in 2016. The books are now in 58 schools.
Dedication: Katrina Ogden, Wanalta, Victoria
Sheep farmer and community fundraiser who has helped raise almost $500,000 over the past decade for kids with cancer and the Royal Children’s Hospital. The annual fundraisers have got bigger and better each year, with the whole community involved.
Grace: Felicity Burton, Cooranga North, Queensland
A cattle producer and founding member of the Common Ground Foundation, which actively raised funds to buy and run three units in Toowoomba for rural families needing accommodation while accessing healthcare.
Passion: Tegan Nock, Orange, NSW
Co-founder of LoamBio, which is changing the face of grain-growing in Australia through its newly developed seed biotechnology. The product can help reduce emissions while also increasing productivity.
Spirit: Bianca Scrymgour, Darwin, Northern Territory
The captain of the Darwin Brothers rugby league team – who led her team to a three-peat premiership victory this year – is also an under-18s coach and mentor to younger players, and tireless in her championing for growth of women’s sport.
Youth: Sarah Wheeler, Rowena, NSW
The photographer, farmer and horsewoman is undertaking a 5500km solo horse trek through outback NSW and Queensland, to raise funds and awareness for upper gastrointestinal cancers – a cause close to her heart following the death of her mother.
See also: Founder of Indigearth named overall winner of 2023 Shine Awards