- Published:
- Thursday 22 October 2026
We celebrate the remarkable contributions of Victoria's seniors as part of the 2026 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.
Their experience, leadership and generosity help make our communities stronger every day.
Dedicated volunteer Mark Edmonds received the Premier's Award for Victorian Senior of the Year 2026, recognising his extraordinary work helping build self-sustaining communities in Zimbabwe.
Minister for Seniors Nick Staikos, joined 15 other award recipients at Government House to celebrate older Victorians whose service and leadership have made a lasting difference to their communities.
For more than 30 years, the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards have recognised seniors who continue to give back through volunteering, advocacy and community leadership.
Other recipients included Sandra Verdam who received the Positive Ageing Award for founding Memory Care Cafés, which provide support for people living with dementia and their carers.
Ronnie Figdor OAM received the Promotion of Multiculturalism Award for his lifelong work building connections between diverse communities and generations.
Mahendrakumar Patel received the Emerging Impact Award for his work empowering older migrants and the multicultural community.
Margaret Jager was also honoured with the Veteran Community Award for more than 40 years of dedicated service to Victoria’s female veteran community.
Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria Senior Achiever Awards were also presented to 9 inspiring Victorians for their contributions to community life.
Their achievements range from mentoring and supporting vulnerable people, to providing leadership and training during emergencies and disasters.
Profiles of the 2026 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards recipients can be found at seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Seniors Nick Staikos
“This year’s recipients demonstrate the extraordinary impact older Victorians have in our communities. We’re proud to recognise the many ways they give back, strengthen connections and create positive change.”
“The Seniors Festival is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate, come together and make new connections – I encourage everyone to get involved in the wonderful events we have running across the state.”