THE ROTARY CLUB OF MELBOURE INC.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD
Awarded to
Simone Carson AM
Citation
The 2024-25 Rotary Club of Melbourne Vocational Service Award recognises the distinguished vocational service of Simone Carson AM.
Simone Holds a Bachelor of Education from La Trobe University and a Certificate in Paediatric Intensive Care Nursing and her early career as a registered nurse took her to the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Victoria. Over 15 years, she witnessed firsthand the struggles of families who, on top of medical challenges, faced difficulties accessing fresh, nutritious food. This experience highlighted for her the critical link between the food we eat and our good health.
Simone, and her husband Ian decided to do something about improving fresh food access all round. They founded SecondBite.
Starting at Prahran Market in 2005 as a small initiative in Victoria, collecting 600kg of food in its first year, SecondBite has grown into a national social enterprise making a serious impact on minimising food waste whilst strengthening access of those most in need to fresh food.
In 2023 alone, SecondBite distributed over 25 million kg of food, equivalent to 50 million meals, to more than 1,100 charities across Australia.
On 1 July 2024 SecondBite merged with a complementary food charity, Fare Share. This created an even more powerful organisation that delivers fresh produce as well as prepared meals, further strengthening food security and reduction of food waste.
Simone is widely recognised for her advocacy, highlighted in 2016 when she was appointed to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, and in 2017, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2018 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and travelled around the world exploring best practice in the food relief sector.
Simone is a member of the Australian Food Rescue, and Stop Food Waste Australia working Groups, and a member of the Victorian Health Food Security/Food Systems COVID-19 Working Group. In 2022, she sat on the Victorian Health led Food Relief Charter Development and the Healthy Eating Guidelines.
Simone continues in her leadership role at SecondBite as Board Deputy Chair but has remained grounded in SecondBite’s Prahran Market origins where she manages weekly collection of surplus food, with Rotary Melbourne members proudly volunteering alongside her.
Simone’s outstanding contribution over 20 years to food rescue and fresh food access for all together with her exemplary service as a hands-on volunteer is recognised by this Award as an exemplar of the Rotary ideal of service above self. She joins a distinguished body of women and men who have been previous recipients of this award.
Awarded – 20th November 2024
