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Speakers Bank is proud to nominate and congratulate Rufus Uulf for winning third place at the Inspire Awards, an event facilitated by Funds in Court, on behalf of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Rufus won in the category of Best Achievement in Community Volunteering. This category is sponsored  by Rotary International.

The event was held on the 26th of April at the Price Waterhouse Coopers in Southbank, Melbourne. It was the first time that Speakers Bank put forward nominations for the Inspire Awards.  Funds in Court aims to give recognition to people who are passionate about disability, and use the opportunity to help other people. Furthermore, it was also the first time that Speakers Bank nominated two of its members, the other being Evan Bichara who also won as second placer in the same category of Best Achievement in Community Volunteering.

Below is Speakers Bank’s nomination description for Rufus:

Rufus has made an exceptional contribution to the community through his significant health science research, and his volunteer role as public speaker at Speakers Bank. This role has allowed Rufus to create connections between the disabled community and groups in the broader community, and to take these connections to the public stage. His talks challenge the audience to look beyond the disability and change their perceptions about what people can achieve. He is a passionate and animated storyteller who and has overcome significant personal adversities to make a difference to others.

Rufus’s impact also extends to his significant research into tuberculosis. He has been honored by the  head of Victoria’s leading tuberculosis research centre to present his research findings to staff. He travels to India nearly every year for his research, and his currently negotiating a placement at a large hospital there. Rufus has completed a Master of Health Science degree and is now embarking on a PhD research program. He has been honored by Golden Key, an international academic society that invites students who consistently achieve above average grades to join their association. All that Rufus has achieved has been done from a wheelchair, in a highly visible way in areas where disability is not usually visible. In this way he challenges the public attitude towards disability and the discrimination faced by many.

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