Westfield Local Heroes

Karinya House for Mothers and Babies

In the early 1990s, Margaret read about a young pregnant woman
living in her car and decided she needed to do something. Five years later, after raising
$250,000, Margaret co-founded Karinya House - Canberra’s only specialist service for women in crisis or without a home, who are pregnant or parenting a newborn.

Blind Cricket ACT

As President of Blind Cricket ACT, Jason has transformed the club into a national-level team and a vibrant community. He raises awareness and breaks down barriers through community engagement and local and state partnerships. Beyond cricket, Jason’s initiatives help more than 2,000 people with disabilities access sport, education, and employment opportunities across the ACT.

YWCA Canberra

Victorya Jenkinson has dedicated the past 20 years to providing stable housing to women and children experiencing domestic violence. As the director of housing and homelessness at
YWCA-Canberra, Victorya uses gender and trauma-informed approaches to support these families.

Good Omen Goodeze

Mary Liondi-Barlow is the founder and executive officer of Good Omen Goodeze (GOG), a charity focused on improving mental health and developing community connections through craft. GOG offers inclusive craft meetups for non-English speakers, seniors and people with disabilities who create comfort items which have been donated to over 16,000 hospital, ambulance and hospice patients.

A Gender Agenda

Mimi Hall is the intersex project coordinator at A Gender Agenda (AGA). She advocates for intersex rights, trains healthcare professionals, and supports intersex individuals and their families. Mimi played a pivotal role in passing protective legislation in the ACT in 2023, enhancing the rights and safety of people with variations in sex characteristics.

Alo Enlightened Women Incorporated

Passionate Dr Lubna Alam works tirelessly to lower barriers for culturally and linguistically diverse women. Lubna is the founder of Alo Enlightened
Women Incorporated. This volunteerrun organisation empowers migrant
and refugee women through educational programs focused on leadership, financial inclusion, women
in tech and violence against women and girls.

Capital Region Community Services

Graham McKerchar is devoted to providing transport and social connection for locals. As transport manager at Capital Region Community Services, he’s responsible for 42,000 trips per year for 1,000 registered participants. Graham is also a driving force behind the 10/10, a garden blitz initiative supporting vulnerable families.

Mental Illness Education Act

Brave Mark Brosnan is making an extraordinary impact on his community by sharing his story of recovery from PTSD, depression and anxiety. Mark volunteers at Mental Illness Education ACT, where he runs face-to-face sessions that reach thousands of local people, ranging from the Australian Federal Police to secondary school students.