John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The 2017 Queensland Community Foundation's Philanthropist of the Year Awards were announced on Friday 16 June, held as part of the Queensland's Philanthropy Week. Now in their seventh year, these awards recognise outstanding individuals and organisations that support community, volunteer and charity groups right across Queensland through a variety of means. The QCF's SME philanthropist of the year award this year went to Hallmark Property of Toowoomba. It is headed by Ian Knox, who has more than 20 years' experience in commercial and residential property in Toowoomba. Hallmark was nominated by Vanguard Laundry Services.

Hallmark has contributed over $1 million to ensure at-risk teenagers and people with a mental illness are given the opportunity to work and that they are cared for by the local community. This has been achieved in their case through their support of Vanguard Laundry Services and Teen Challenge in Toowoomba. As well as substantial monetary support, Hallmark Property have also provided pro bono advice and services to both groups over a number of years, including the provision of business contacts, mentoring opportunities, employee time and the support of their board to create substantial and lasting community change.

Earlier this year I hosted the Prime Minister in Toowoomba, during which time he officially opened the new Vanguard Laundry Services, and it was just a fortnight ago that the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, Jane Prentice, and I were back there at Vanguard Laundry Services with Luke Terry, its CEO, to check on progress. Vanguard is a dedicated social enterprise based around a new, purpose-built commercial laundry using state-of-the-art technology aimed at delivering significant economic and environmental savings for its customers in the healthcare, aged-care, hospitality, accommodation facilities, management and agribusiness sectors. It is, importantly, also a dedicated enterprise focused on creating more jobs and career development for people in the Toowoomba region who have experienced mental illness and struggle to get back into the workforce.

I congratulate Vanguard Laundry Services on its commercial and social mission. On behalf of our community, I acknowledge in particular and I thank Hallmark Property and the many other philanthropists across our region and nationally as well who are so generous in supporting this and other social enterprises providing support to those in need in our community.

See this speech in context