News Corp Australia and major advertiser Harvey Norman have named winners of this year’s Weekly Times Shine Awards.

Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page praised overall winner Danny Mayson-Kinder, adding that the awards were an opportunity to recognise her work and the contribution of category winners and finalists. “Most importantly, this is our chance to say thank you,” she said.

Mayson-Kinder “personifies why these awards were first established eight years ago. She is helping parents and teachers to support children navigate bullying, loneliness and mental health issues, in the face of her own personal, immense loss.” The Tasmanian established a charity in honour of her 12-year-old daughter Billie, who died in a horse accident in 2016.

Finalists’ stories feature online and in a Shine magazine inserted in this week’s newspaper.

Other award winners are Kelly Johnson (SA), who launched a dried fruit snacks business using seconds from local farmers; Katrina Ogden (VIC), a sheep farmer and community fundraiser who has helped raise almost $500,000 over the past decade for kids with cancer; Felicity Burton (Qld), founding member of the Common Ground Foundation which raised funds to buy and run three units in Toowoomba for rural families needing accommodation while accessing healthcare; Tegan Nock (NSW), co-founder of LoamBio, which has developed seed biotechnology, helping reduce emissions and increasing productivity;

Bianca Scrymgour (NT), captain of the Darwin Brothers rugby league team, who led her team to a three-peat premiership victory and is also a mentor to younger players; and Sarah Wheeler (NSW), a photographer, farmer and horsewoman who is undertaking a 5500km solo horse trek to raise funds and awareness for upper gastrointestinal cancers.