These Panellists are in three groups: Australian, New Zealand and Sport – each group is made up of seven Panellists.
They started on Monday 20 January running through to the second last week of August and their work determines the annual Basil Sellers Young Writer Awards. This year they are presented at the 12 September PSI young writer conference on the Gold Coast.
The Panellists come from a broad cross section of the Christian community, some are specialists in their field, some are exceptionally gifted in the finer points of syntax and others have a wealth of experience in pastoral ministry and oversight.
For example,
Australian Panellist Aira Chilcott
A teacher from Canberra was recently part of a group tour of Year's 10–12 students and 3 staff from Canberra's Trinity Christian School (December), in India under the auspices of OM (Operation Mobilisation) with an Aussie OM rep with us who paved the way and did all the liaising with OM. We spent nearly a week at an OM school in Solapur (Maharashtra state) where we taught the kids and played with them and encouraged the staff there. We also did some touristy stuff as a cultural experience, to give the students a sense of the need for God and the range of work that OM does in India. Also hearing some stories of how God has touched lives and brought people out of bondage.
New Zealand Panellist Errol Pike
For 25 years Errol Pike was in the secular media (radio) including 12 years in senior management (last 7 years as manager of National Radio, our equivalent of Australia's Radio National). Then 15 years a fundraiser / communications head for the Bible Society in NZ. Errol says that fundraising is about excellence in communications and 2011-13 served as the President of ARPA - Australasian Religious Press Association.
Sport Panellist Ruth Sellers
Originally from South Africa and developing various corporate business lines, and married Darrell Sellers the son of Mr Basil Sellers AM a major supporter of our ministries. They live in Hong Kong where Ruth has expanded her well established wine importing business. Ruth says of herself that she is a mad keen sports offisiardo. In some cases where life gets busy Darrell might mark the article, as is the case with a number of the Panellists across the board with partners helping out.
Australian Panellists
Debbie Suba - Launceston
Aira Chilcott - Canberra
David Chang - Sydney
Deidre Tronson - Sydney
Bruce Stark - Milton
Euan McDonald - Brisbane
Clive O'Connor - Armidale
New Zealand Panellists
Brian Carrell - Christchurch
Liz Hay - Christchurch
Errol Pike - Wellington
Christina Tyson - Wellington
Peter Grace - Auckland
Deidre Tronson - Well-Being Australia
David Chang - Christian Today
Sport Panellists
Peter Nelson - Canberra
Simon Farrer - Melbourne
David Burr - Melbourne
Tony Dunkerley - Melbourne
Sylvia Kitzelman - Ghana (living in Melbourne)
Ruth Sellers - Hong Kong
Tim Wilson - Canada
At the end of each five week Cycle the Points are sent in, whereupon John Grocott our in-house statistician tallies the points.
2013 Basil Sellers PSI Young Writers Awards
Australia
1 - Alison Barkley
2 - Laura Veloso
New Zealand
1 - Daniel Jang
- Sam Burrows - Theological Development Award
2 - Casey Murray / Sophia Sinclair (equal points)
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html