MERRIWA Industries held its annual awards evening, attended by more than 100 staff members on Friday, October 11.

The night was a celebration of staff members who have demonstrated achievement across seven different award categories.

It also recognised staff members' many years of service, with two people making the incredible 30-year mark and a further three people employed for 25 years.

Merriwa remains one of Wangaratta's largest employers, with approximately 269 staff in an ‘Integrating Employment’ setting – meaning people with and without disability work together to deliver products and services to the Wangaratta and Albury/Wodonga communities and surrounds.

It has been providing employment for people with a disability since 1975 and has undergone many changes in its nearly 50-year history.

What started out as North Eastern Sheltered Workshop Association set up by a steering committee from the Wangaratta District Base Hospital, later became known as Pelican Products and in 1995 was renamed to Merriwa Industries and became a Social Enterprise.

Today Merriwa provides packaging services to well-known brands such as Mars Petcare, CSR Gyprock and SPC as well as many other products and services across five different divisions: Park Lane Nursery, commercial growing, grounds and gardening services, timber building products, and Merriwa in community services.

Merriwa’s chief executive officer, Bart Crawley, said the annual awards night was not only an opportunity to celebrate valued staff, but also a time to remember the hard work of so many people who helped established the unique workplace that it is today.

“Without the vision and tenacity of people like Graham Gales, Hugh Elford, Jack Lyle, Ray Byrne, Ruth Belan and Mary Sanders, we would not be in the privileged position we are in today which is to be able to provide a such a unique workplace for the Wangaratta and Wodonga communities,” he said

“The naming of our achievement awards is in honour of them and their hard work’.”

Mr Crawley said the awards event held at the Wangaratta Gateway was a huge success and all award nominees and recipients who were voted for by their teammates, were very proud of their achievements.

“It is the highlight of our annual calendar and an important way to celebrate our wonderful organisation,” he said.

“We congratulate all the nominees and award winners and thank our teammates who have given Merriwa so much of their working lives.

"It was a wonderful night with so much to celebrate.”