Tim Silverwood and Peter Janssen OAM awarded Life Membership of Take 3 for the Sea

In recognition of their significant and sustained contributions to the organisation, the Take 3 for the Sea, Board of Directors has awarded Life Memberships to co-founder Tim Silverwood and former Board Chair Peter Janssen OAM. These honours have been awarded on World Oceans Day 2023 because of the contribution both Tim and Peter have made to ocean conservation through their work with Take 3.

Tim Silverwood

Tim Silverwood was one of the three co-founders of Take 3 for the Sea. His eyes were first opened to the plastic pollution problem when traveling in Asia where he witnessed tonnes of plastic waste being dumped in the Himalayan mountains. He returned to Australia with the determination to do something to address the problem. His passion and commitment to protecting the ocean from the impacts of plastic pollution led him and his fellow co-founders to work tirelessly to achieve change in this sphere.

Tim’s charisma and natural oratory skills led him to be the spokesperson and public face of Take 3. He was always an in-demand speaker, presenting at conferences, moderating panels and giving guest lectures at several prestigious universities. In 2011 Tim presented a TedX talk that has been viewed over 50,000 times, recounting his journey by boat from Hawaii to Vancouver researching and documenting the impacts of plastic pollution. He was featured in ABC’s high impact documentary series, War on Waste, and in the blockbuster documentary film, Blue.

Tim took on the role of CEO from 2017 until he left Take 3 in 2020. He is now a respected voice in the global conversation about the state of our planet and the changes that need to be made if we are to create an abundant and sustainable future.

Co-Founder Roberta Dixon-Valk said of Tim, “From the very beginning, Tim’s passion for surfing and plastic reduction successfully translated the Take 3 message to a generation of surfers, capturing their hearts and minds and making it ‘cool’ to remove plastic pollution from the beach.  Fast forward to 2016 and Tim’s public speaking excellence took Take 3 to a global stage, where he presented at the International ‘Our Oceans’ conference in Washington D.C with an esteemed audience which included President Barack Obama.  Tim’s dedication to making societal change that benefits the planet is a lifetime commitment and he well-deserves the honour of Life Membership of Take 3 for the Sea.”

Peter Janssen, OAM

Peter Janssen was appointed Founding Chair of Take 3 for the Sea in 2015 and served in that position until he stepped down in late 2022. He brought a wealth of experience to this role. He was an accomplished Chair, Director and CEO, having engaged with a wide variety of industries including electrical, power, automotive, electronics, and clean technology. Prior to joining the Take 3 board, Peter had over 30 years’ experience as a non-executive director serving on a diverse array of boards including eight years as Chair of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife.

Amy Somes, current Board Chair, is full of praise for her predecessor.  “Peter was a pleasure to work with,” she said. “He joined the Take 3 board because he was inspired by the founders’ simple call to action to reduce plastic pollution, and he approached every challenge with a ‘glass half full’ attitude. He was always confident that Take 3 could grow from a small local organisation to a bigger one having meaningful impact across NSW, nationally and ultimately globally. His sound advice and steady hand on the tiller enabled Take 3 to achieve financial stability, implement a resilient governance structure and follow a clear strategic plan. Thank you, Peter, for everything you have done for Take 3 – this Life Membership is very well-deserved.”