A MEDAL of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division has been awarded to Sawtell’s Kerry Clancy for her service to surf lifesaving.

After being named the 2021 Coffs Harbour Electorate Local Woman of the Year, Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh described Kerry as the “embodiment of passion, dedication, patience and good humour in the many leadership roles she’s held with Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW)”.

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“She’s proudly paved the way for female representation in the organisation, being the first woman to be elected to both the North Coast Branch and then to the board of Surf Life Saving NSW,” Mr Singh said at the time.

Kerry has been the Director of Member Services at Surf Life Saving New South Wales since 2019.

She has also officiated at Country Carnivals for 23 years.

A Life Member of SLSNSW since 2014, she has held numerous titles including Deputy President (2011-2017) and State Councillor (2003-2021).

For a decade, from 2011-2021, Kerry was a member of the Support Services crew for Surf Life Saving Australia Championships.

She was President of the North Coast Branch of Surf Life Saving Australia from 2003-2021 and is currently their trainer/assessor for officials.

She held a list of roles at the Branch over the years, going back to 1993 when she was Chairman of Junior Activities and Team Manager of the Inter-Branch Team.

She was awarded Life Membership to the Branch in 2011.

Having joined her hometown Sawtell Surf Life Saving Club in 1993, three years later she became the club’s
Accredited Level One Surf Official, a role she held right through until 2023.

In 2010 the club voted Kerry the Female Club Person of the Year.

Throughout her career, from 1974 until 2022, she was a teacher with the New South Wales Department of Education.

She received the Premier’s Community Service Award in 2013.

By Andrea FERRARI