Your 2025 Westfield Booragoon Local Hero is:

Nicole Abbott

Get Scrubbed

Dedicated. Selfless. Innovative

Nicole’s ‘Get Scrubbed’ charitable organisation started as a group of keen sewers making items for healthcare workers during the pandemic.  
 It is now a flourishing initiative where volunteers come together at four locations across Perth every month to sew, knit and craft gifts for children and adults in hospital or care.  

 These handcrafted items include burp cloths for newborns, quilts for dementia patients, clothing for stillborn babies, and Indigenous dolls for children in care. Nicole is the centre of it all. She is involved in anything and everything, from managing volunteers to organising, teaching, cleaning, photography and of course, sewing.  

“I have always been community-minded,” says Nicole. “The ethos of ‘it takes a village’ is truly embedded in my veins.” Throughout the last year, Get Scrubbed has given 6,000 handmade items to families in the community. As an additional benefit, most of the fabric used by the volunteers is donated or recycled - without the group’s sewing skills, it would end up in landfill. 

 “I love the reward of helping others and always have,” says Nicole. 
 “I love seeing how a small act of kindness can make someone else’s day, and maybe helps their mindset for life, or just makes that moment of pain bearable.” 

The $20,000 grant will be used to fund an independent location for storage and sorting, hosting workshops, and operating a Fabric Opshop.

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We’d like to thank and acknowledge our finalists who will receive a $5K grant for the organisation they represent...

Benjamin Rowe from Blind Sports Western Australia
Ben has been losing vision since childhood and uses his experience to ensure others who are blind or visually impaired can take part in sport and music. As chair of Blind Sports WA, and a former international competitor himself, he fosters access and support for all. He also leads a music group and advocates for accessible spaces.

Jennifer Ball from Worthy Australia
Jennifer founded Worthy Australia four years ago, a charity committed to creating safe havens for women and children escaping domestic violence. In that time, she and her volunteers have transformed 58 empty houses into safe, fully furnished homes for families in need. Her work ensures women and children have a secure place to start rebuilding their lives.

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If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 13 11 14

Recognising all our 2025 nominees

[ View all of the Westfield Booragoon nominees and their organisations.