JSP Women's Awards 2024

This year’s JSP Women’s Awards was a night of regional storytelling and celebrating the women and men across the Greater Whitsunday region.

Now in its third year the JSP Women’s Awards created by The Just Saying Project’s founder Fallon Drewett, is an event to celebrate the magic making women who bring joy, strength, and passion to the Greater Whitsunday region.

Stories of women and, for the first-time men, were shared and inspired the 270 strong crowd at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, on Saturday March 2.

Mrs Drewett said this year’s event elevated the awards to a new level, thanks to generous sponsorship including our Presenting Partners Daly Bay and Glitterati sponsors BMA.

This year we were so grateful to have the sponsorship of several small businesses including, our Keynote Story Teller Sponsor Anything Environmental, Spark Joy and Magic Muse sponsor Maitri, Venue Sponsor MECC, Instyle Sponsor eventsbylauren and Print Sponsor Fierce Signage. We also had Caneland Central, Gardian and Athletica as awards sponsors.

“Each year, there are so many awe-inspiring stories from everyday women, who are making change in their homes, businesses, and wider community.

“Storytelling matters.

“It is the golden thread that weaves through our region. It is these stories that remind us that anything is possible and that we have the power to be who we are,” she said.

Mrs Drewett said there were 135 nominations across seven categories where a winner was chosen from an independent judging panel.

The winner’s stories were read to a captivated audience and showcased the importance of the roles and participation of women across a variety of industries and communities.

The winners of the JSP Women’s Awards for 2024 were:

 Mother of All Mothers- Marnie Louise

 Woman Who Breaks the Mould – Adrienne Bradshaw

 Health and Wellbeing Warrior – Lauren Neill

 Magic Muse- Samantha Munt

 Resilient Rebel – Haley Crofts

 The Equaliser -Rob Coco

 Rising Star – Codie Ebner

Part of the evening also featured a keynote storyteller, author Claire Christian who gave an authentic keynote about, giving the audience permission to follow their inner passions.

Claire is a writer, theatre maker and facilitator based in Meanjin.

She has three novels published with Text publishing. Beautiful Mess, which won the 2016 Text Prize (released in 2017), It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake (released in 2020), and West Side Honey (released April 2023).

The JSP Women’s Awards is not just a networking or social event, it is an event that invites us all to listen and hold space for others.

“A place to feel safe and inspired. To leave feeling stronger, but maybe open an inner portal

to do the things you have always wanted to do.

All the nominees, finalists, and winners showcased the power of resilience, courage, determination, creativity, kindness, and love.

“And at the end of the day that is what it is all about,” Mrs Drewett said.

The Just Saying Project was founded in 2015 and is an inspirational approach to helping women build the confidence to truly love who they are. It’s an ever-growing community- driven dialogue, to find and share connections within our true beings.

Whether it’s through photographic exhibitions, panel, and speaker sessions, interactive workshops, cabaret shows and even a real-body runway, each project and event promotes honest storytelling and uplifting conversations.

In the next few months JSP will be sharing each story from the night on their website and social media platforms.

Thank you to Marty Strecker for this beautiful photographs