Two women supporting thousands of families through their charities and an Aboriginal elder who has been mentoring young people for 30 years have been named Westfield Local Heroes for 2022 at Westfield Chermside.
Kerry Gordon, founder of Precious Wings charity, is this year’s Local Hero, receiving a $20,000 grant for her organisation. Ms Gordon is a paediatric nurse practitioner working in the Paediatric Palliative Care Service.
The creation of Precious Wings was driven by the experience of the loss of a child. Through the charity, Ms Gordon offers love, hope, understanding, and support to families, so they never feel alone after their bereavement. The charity also educates healthcare staff about caring for bereaved families.
Rebecca Adams | First Light Widowed Association
Like Ms Gordon, Rebecca Adams is also touching people’s lives. After losing her husband at 33, six weeks after their wedding, Ms Adams put her energy into helping others in her position.
She is one of the founders of First Light Widowed Association, which provides practical and emotional support to thousands of people.
Rebecca Adams (Photo supplied)
As a finalist of Westfield Local Heroes, Ms Adams received $5,000 to help her continue their work of her organisation.
Gary Cobbo | Kurbungui Youth and Family Development
Another finalist who received a $5,000 grant for his organisation was Uncle Gary Cobbo. He is a respected Aboriginal leader who has dedicated over three decades of his life mentoring and supporting hundreds of local young people.
At Kurbungui Youth and Family Development, he is always ready to offer people food and a safe place to have a yarn, efforts that he hopes will lead to life-changing interventions.
Garry Cobbo (Photo supplied)
Pam Wilson, National Community Experience Manager and creator of the Westfield Local Heroes program congratulated the recipients and thanked the communities for casting their votes to help determine the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes. “As we celebrate our fifth year of the Westfield Local Heroes program, we are once again overwhelmed by the inspiring nominations this year. Through the success of the program, we are proud to be able to continue to recognise and reward everyday people doing extraordinary work in our communities,” Ms Wilson said.
About the Westfield Local Heroes
Photo credit: westfield.com.au
Scentre Group’s Westfield Local Heroes program was established in 2018 to celebrate community role models whose work benefits others across a broad range of sectors, including family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience and environmental sustainability.
They are nominated and voted by their communities, and they represent a diverse range of sectors. Westfield will award one Westfield Local Hero per Westfield centre a $20,000 grant for the organisation or group they represent, whilst finalists receive a $5,000 grant each.
Make your pick known for the 2022 Westfield Local Heroes and shine the spotlight on the inspiring individuals who make such a positive impact in their communities. Here are the nominees from Chermside.
The 2022 Westfield Local Heroes awards program recognises the people whose work and advocacy contributes to the upliftment of the community. About 126 grants will be given across Westfield outlets in Australia and New Zealand.
These individuals, and their organisation, are recognised for their work in in areas like family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Here are the nominees from Chermside.
Kerry Gordon
Photo Credit: Westfield Local Heroes
Kerry, a paediatric nurse practitioner, is also the founder of Precious Wings, which helps families and educates the healthcare staff of those caring for the bereaved. If Kerry is successful, Precious Wings will use its funds to set up its new premises with storage racking, furniture, and IT equipment.
Rebecca Adams
Photo Credit: Westfield Local Heroes
Rebecca founded the First Light Widowed Association, which offers practical and emotional support for widows, especially those who have lost their spouses at a young age. If Rebecca is successful, the First Light Widowed Association will use its funds to cover the cost of producing information packs and running support events.
Uncle Gary Cobbo
Uncle Gary, a respected Aboriginal Elder runs the Kurbingui Youth and Family Development, which mentors hundreds of young locals. If Uncle Gary is successful, Kurbingui Youth and Family Development will use its funds to run programs that provide assistance and linkages to employment and training for the youth.
Winners of this recognition per centre will receive a $20,000 grant that will support their work for the organisation they represent. Each of the finalists, on the other hand, will get $5,000.
Westfield Chermside has announced the names of the six individuals nominated for the 2021 Westfield Local Heroes. Now on its fourth year, the program provides a $10,000 grant to help these nominees pursue their advocacies and the community can help decide who shall receive the funding by casting their votes.
Under the Westfield Local Heroes program, 42 Westfield centres in Australia and New Zealand will name three local heroes or role models who have made significant and positive contributions to benefit the community. For this year, the finalists come from a broad range of sectors, including not-for-profit groups, registered community groups, sporting clubs, emergency services, and environmental advocates.
The voting period, which started on 10 Aug 2021, will close on Monday, 30 Aug 2021. Here are the nominees for Westfield Chermside:
Why She’s Nominated: “Eileen is a Westfield Local Hero because whilst battling cancer, she still found the strength and courage to help parents of preterm babies. She helped those who had lost hope or were just simply overcome by the financial stress of NICU. Eileen was there right by their side.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Veteran volunteer Eileen Mary Jane Cooke is the driving force behind support for Queensland parents of premature babies. Eileen has been volunteering with the Preterm Infants Parents Association (PIPA) for over 20 years and has helped many parents in that time. It is her way of giving back for the support she received from PIPA when she needed it. Eileen was a Westfield Local Hero finalist in 2019 and 2020 and appreciates being nominated for a third time.
Primary suburbs: Arana Hills, Geebung, Brisbane metro North
Local Westfield: Chermside
Why She’s Nominated: “Amy is a Westfield Local Hero because she has the strength to face her own trauma every day and use her experience to raise the profile of birth-related trauma to create a community of support and she works to prevent others having the same experience.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Amy is an effective advocate for bringing consumers, clinicians, and researchers together to support women, birthing people, and families affected by birth-related trauma. In 2016, Amy founded the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA), is a charity focused on the recognition and understanding of birth-related trauma. Her vision is for safer births, better healing.
Why She’s Nominated: Jodie is a Westfield Local Hero because, in the darkest moments of life, she brings warmth, happiness, and light to people in our community who need it most.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Jodie Frisch is on a mission to ensure families fleeing domestic violence have everything they need to rebuild their lives. As Homes Manager at RizeUp Australia, Jodie works tirelessly to furnish new accommodation, provide clothing for children, and source critical items at a moment’s notice. She is known for being strong, loyal, and kind.
Why He’s Nominated: “Garry is a Westfield Local Hero because he has impacted the lives of thousands of people directly through his service. He is a role model who inspires many others. The 4017 area wouldn’t be what it is today without the selfless contribution Garry has made for more than a decade at SANDBAG.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Garry Hunt is a hard-working community worker dedicated to providing practical support to people in need. The volunteer turned staff member at Sandgate and Bracken Ridge Action Group (SANDBAG), Garry has supported thousands of people facing poverty, homelessness, mental illness, domestic violence, and discrimination. Garry always treats people equally and is known for his inclusive, welcoming, and respectful nature.
Why He’s Nominated: “Sammy is a Westfield Local Hero because he noticed there was a need for a program for young people within the local community. Through The Boss Boxing, Sammy has been able to engage through physical activity, which is making a big difference and changing lives.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Former boxing champion Sammy Leone is a proud Aboriginal man who has supported the Zillmere community for more than a decade, using his sport to transform the lives of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Sammy is passionate about using the skills developed in boxing to keep people away from substance abuse and crime. A few years ago, he founded The Boss Boxing, where he is head coach.
Why He’s Nominated: “Len is a Westfield Local Hero because he has been through so many of his own challenges but still wants to give back to those in need. He knows that a kind word spoken at the right time can truly change someone’s life.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Len McCandless is an empathetic community worker who uses his own experience of living on the street to help homeless people or those living with a disability. He is the team leader at Rosie’s – Friends on the Street Brisbane North Branch, where he is known for his big heart – always greeting patrons with a smile, a cup of tea, and a chat.
“Now in its fourth year, the Westfield Local Heroes Program has been an instrument for change and support for deserving organisations,” Westfield Carindale Centre Manager, Matt Powis, said. “It’s with great pleasure that we announce our six 2021 finalists and call upon the local community to vote and help us determine our three Westfield Local Heroes grant recipients.”
Since 2018, Scentre Group’s Westfield Local Heroes program has invested in over 489 community organisations. The contribution represents the ongoing support to connect and enrich the local communities in which Westfield Living Centres operate.
Grants provided to the winners total $1.2 million. The winners will be announced on 21 Oct 2021.
