Thorne Harbour Health highlights plans ‘For the Future’ at 2018 Annual General Meeting

Thorne Harbour Health (formally comprised of the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre) held their annual general meeting yesterday to announce their newest Life Members, their 2018 award recipients, and their newly elected board members. The evening also included the release of the 2017/2018 Annual Report For the Future and the announcement of the organisation’s newest location at 200 Hoddle Street in Abbotsford.

The Annual General Meeting also includes the Keith Harbour Address, this year delivered by the organisation’s founding President, Phil Carswell.

Recipients for this year’s Life Membership included longstanding advocate for people living with HIV, Paul Kidd, and Maureen O’Brien, the organisation’s founding clinic nurse who worked tirelessly with the community through the height of the epidemic.

The 2018 Thorne Harbour Health Awards were presented, including:

• President’s Award to David Owen for his longstanding volunteer services as a solicitor and a member of the organisation’s Investments Committee
• Greig Friday Young Leader Award to LGBTI community advocate Lee Carnie from the Human Rights Law Centre
• Media Award to LGBTI regional radio presenter Max Primer

As well as Special Services Awards to:

• Professor Jenny Hoy - longstanding HIV clinician and researcher
• Virginia Cummins - health promotion campaign photographer
• Herbert Smith Freehills Lawyers
• Nic Holas - PLHIV advocate and founder of The Institute of Many (TIM)

“Our work is supported by an incredible network of individuals and organisations every year,” said Thorne Harbour Health CEO Simon Ruth.

“Our annual awards are just a small token of our appreciation and a way we can acknowledge the meaningful impact of their contribution.”

The evening also saw the release of the 2017/2018 Annual Report For the Future - complementing last year’s award-winning If report. The publication features a collection of portraits from Melbourne’s LGBTI communities and captures their hopes ‘for the future’. This year’s report also includes the announcement of the organisation’s newest location at 200 Hoddle Street.

“We’re a growing organisation with sites across Victoria and South Australia now,” said Thorne Harbour President Chad Hughes.

“And we’re looking forward to having services and staff in the Victorian Pride Centre. The recent purchase of 200 Hoddle Street means that we’ll have another location to serve our LGBTI communities ‘for the future.’”

At the Annual General Meeting, the outcome of the election was announced, seeing Paul Kidd as well as Assoc. Prof. Adam Bourne joining the joint VAC/GMHC board.