GymbaROO Maitland franchisee Renee Burgess was nominated for the prestigious Citizen of the Year award by Maitland City Council, recognised for her outstanding contribution to the local community. 

Burgess, who operates her GymbaROO centre in Maitland, said the nomination came as a wonderful surprise.

“I found out via an email directly from Maitland City Council, from the Mayor’s office, congratulating me on being nominated and inviting me to attend the Australia Day Awards at Maitland Town Hall. It was such a special and unexpected moment,” she said.

Burgess is well-known in the Maitland community for her dedication to creating welcoming and supportive spaces for early childhood education. Through her centre, she provides a range of programs for babies and young children, focusing on building essential skills needed to thrive in school and life while supporting parents as they learn to grow with their child.

“To be recognised by the Maitland community in this way means so much to me. Through GymbaROO, my dream has always been to create beautiful, welcoming spaces that feel like a ‘village’ for families – somewhere they can connect, make friends, unwind and feel safe. Community has always been at the heart of everything we do,” Burgess said. 

Looking ahead, Burgess hopes to expand her community initiatives with new programs at the centre including mother’s groups for young mums. 

Although she wasn’t named the winner of the award, the nomination gave Burgess time to reflect on the collective effort of the families, educators and community who support and grow alongside her centre.

“We had a beautiful morning celebrating a wonderful country and community. I didn’t take home the top prize but what an honour to be in the same group as the other nominees. It really does mean a lot to me,” she said. 

GymbaROO CEO Corina Vucic praised Burgess’s commitment and passion to the brand and its values.

“Renee embodies the spirit of community that GymbaROO is built on. Her dedication to supporting families, creating meaningful connections and giving back to her community is inspiring. This nomination is a testament to the positive impact she has on everyone around her,” Vucic said.