Mr Kell’s service includes roles as chief executive officer of Anglicare Sydney, council member of Anglicare Australia, chair of Archbishop’s Strategic Commission on Structure, Funding and Governance in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, member of the standing committee for the Sydney Diocesan Secretariat, Diocesan representative on both the Provincial Synod and the General Synod for the Anglican Church of Australia and being a member of the Wollongong Anglican Church Regional Council.

He was also founding president of The Illawarra Connection, a council member of Moore Theological College, chairman of The Illawarra Grammar School, chair of the Illawarra Olympic Appeal Committee, chair of the Illawarra Business Committee for the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, a Fellow of the University of Wollongong as well as a long time member of St Michael’s Cathedral.

A prominent lawyer for many decades Mr Kell said he had been a Christian for most of his life so it was natural for him to want to serve the church.

“I think the training I received as a lawyer stood me in good stead in the Diocesan work especially. I was also very glad to be involved in helping people doing it tough when I was asked to head Anglicare Sydney. To be able to work with people who were getting alongside people in all walks of life who were struggling and see the lives of those people changed by care through Jesus Christ was a humbling experience. The best years of my working life,” he said.

Mr Kell has passionately worked for a better community in his roles in business, education and fundraising committees. “I did none of these things to get an award..but because I was living what I believed..and wanted to see a better place created. It is very humbling to be honoured in this way”.