My Valley, My Home received a Latrobe City Council Australia Day Community Recognition Award earlier this week during an award ceremony at the Gippsland Regional Performing Arts Centre. Presented by Mayor Cr Kellie O’Callaghan, the award was accepted by choir manager Tineke Thijs Westwood and acknowledges the extraordinary community effort made to come together virtually during a difficult time.
Latrobe Health Assembly Chair, Miss Tanya Rong said of the award “a wonderful recognition of such a beautiful and emotional connection for the Latrobe Valley community at a time that we needed it the most – during lockdown. Congratulations to you all.”
The My Valley, My Home project was a collaboration between the Latrobe Health Assembly, Play It Forward, and the Latrobe Valley Community Choir. The initiative brought together a virtual choir to rehearse and record a music video to accompany the world premiere of Jonathon Welch AM’s original song, My Valley, My Home. The project sought to bolster local pride and provide opportunities for social connection during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
My Valley, My Home engaged over 270 Latrobe Valley residents to create the music video which was launched in November, 2020 and now has over 20,000 views on social media. Feedback from the choir members showed that the majority felt that the project made them feel more socially connected during the lockdown period, and that they felt proud when they saw the video online.
To find out more information, please visit www.healthassembly.org.au/all-projects/my-valley-my-home
