Woman of the Year nomination

Umina resident Ms Mary Surman has been nominated for this year's NSW Woman of the Year award.

The award was held in conjunction with the 101st Anniversary of International Women's Day on March 8.

Ms Surman was joined by Member for Gosford Ms Marie Andrews in attending a special presentation ceremony held by Premier Mr Nathan Rees at NSW Parliament House on March 5.

"It was my pleasure to nominate Ms Mary Surman for the 2009 NSW Woman of the Year award," Ms Andrews said.

"Mary has two of her grandchildren in her full-time care and is a founding member and now convenor of the local Grandparents Raising Grandchildren group.

"Sister Pat Barton of the Mercy Religious Order started the group in Woy Woy in 1999.

"Sister Pat, who was attached to the Catholic parish of St John the Baptist in Woy Woy, retired in 2006 and moved to Sydney.

"During her work within the parish Sister Pat did a remarkable job assisting the grandparents who were parenting by providing them with a lot of support and assistance in many respects.

"Mary Surman has since taken over the role of nurturing and caring for the group."

Ms Andrews said a growing number of grandparents have to put their lives and retirement plans on hold to raise their grandchildren.

"Mary works closely as a volunteer for Gosford Family Support, which currently has contact with more than 120 grandparents from across the Central Coast who are raising their grandchildren," Ms Andrews said.

"Through her work in the group, Ms Surman also organises camps for the grandchildren as well as oversees the yearly distribution of Christmas hampers for the grandparents and their families.

"Approximately 65 per cent of these grandparent families are single grandmothers aged between 55 and 75, and Mary is one of these single grandparents.

"The Department of Community Services now seeks to place children with kin-usually grandparents-as a first preference in child protection cases.

"Mary has had the full-time care of her grandson Luke since he was born in 2000, and her granddaughter Jasmine since 2003.

"Mary's parenting of her grandchildren is her main priority, and I can attest that she has done a wonderful job."

Press release, 6 Mar 2009 Marie Andrews, Member for Gosford