Cowra Councillor Nikki Kiss OAM Finalist For NSW Regional Woman Of The Year

Cowra Shire Councillor Nikki Kiss OAM, pictured right at her Lions Club membership induction, is a finalist for this year’s NSW Regional Woman of the Year award.

Cowra Shire Councillor Nikki Kiss OAM will be in the running for one of the highest honours in NSW, being named a finallist for the NSW Regional Woman of the Year award.

She was named as one of five finallists for the award, which is a category of the wider NSW Woman of the Year awards, featuring six different categories.

The awards celebrate the role models who challenge inequality, innovate and inspire.

Being a Councillor is one of many hats Nikki wears.

She is the Founder of the charity, ‘Chance’s Clothes Project’, which provides hand-crafted burial clothing for miscarried and stillborn babies. The charity has been under the auspice of Cowra Information and Neighbourhood Centre since March 2012 and has provided 6320 individual baby burial packs to 199 hospital Maternity Units across Australia since commencement. Through the charity, Nikki coordinates hundreds of crafting volunteers from across Australia, Scotland, New Zealand, USA and Singapore, alongside dozens of local volunteers.

Nikki received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in January 2019 for ‘Service to the Community of Cowra’. She was also a finalist for Women Out West Awards in 2016; acknowledged on the 2016 Cootamundra Electorate Hidden Treasures Honour Roll; and was the Cowra Lions Club Citizen of the Year in 2016/2017.

For the past ten years during tax season, Nikki has acted as a local Accredited Tax Help Volunteer, helping locals learn about their tax records, and have their tax returns prepared for free.

Nikki currently sits as the Cowra Information and Neighbourhood Centre Vice-Chair and Secretary; the State Vice-President of Neighbourhood Watch NSW and current President of Neighbourhood Watch Cowra. She is Chair of the Cowra Council Access Committee and member of the Cowra Disability Alliance Committee and the Cowra Lions Club.

Since 2012, the annual awards have recognised the women and girls whose determination, bravery, skill and passion have inspired their communities and others to achieve great things.

The NSW Women of the Year Awards recipients will be revealed at a ceremony on Thursday 7 March at the International Convention Centre, Sydney.

The awards are the centrepiece of NSW Women’s Week 2024, which will be held from Monday 4 March to Sunday 10 March.

“On behalf of NSW, I congratulate all our finalists,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“You are incredible individuals who have made an enormous contribution to communities in every corner of our state.”

“It’s particularly pleasing to see the breadth of work on display, which is representative of our wonderfully diverse and highly dedicated communities.” NSW Minister for Women, Jodie Harrsion, said she was delighted to see a record 420 nominations for the awards this year. “Each and every one showcased the hard work, dedication and passion of women and girls across NSW,” she said. “Women and girls are making a significant impact in advancing gender equality across different industries, from science to education, health, industry, culture and community.”

“We want to continue to empower the next generation to be limitless in delivering positive changes through fortitude in their fields of expertise.”