Presenting your 2022 Westfield Local Hero

We are excited to announce your 2022 successful Westfield Local Hero for Chatswood.

The successful Westfield Local Heroes organisation, will receive a grant of $20,000 to help them continue to grow their impact in the local community. Westfield will award 126 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $1.26 million.

In early 2023, we will open nominations for the 2023 Westfield Local Heroes program, so start thinking about those people in your communities who make a difference.

Your 2022 Westfield Chatswood Local Hero is:

John Kelman

Bike North Cycling Without Age Chapter
Empathetic. Inclusive. Exemplary

John Kelman provides local care-facility residents with free trishaw rides, to give them the joy of being outdoors, re-connecting to the environment and their local community.

John has established the Bike North Chapter of Cycling Without Age, offering rides for residents of the BaptistCare Shalom Centre around the nearby Macquarie University campus. The chapter uses a borrowed trishaw for this service and is working to expand the program by purchasing their own.

Cycling Without Age is an international charity with a mission to take elderly people or people with disability for free trishaw rides. The purpose-built trishaws seat two passengers up front, with a “pilot” pedalling at the back – imagine a “couch on wheels”.

The pilots (all volunteers) chat with the passengers and manage the pace so everyone can fully enjoy their surroundings and exchange greetings with people they meet. Pilots are happy to pause when passengers wish to take a closer look at places of interest or to simply smell the flowers.

The passengers, including those who have dementia, can safely enjoy the feeling of the wind in their hair as they go for a ride around the campus.

“The joy and smiles on the faces of our passengers, during and after the rides, provide the motivation for everyone involved,” John says.

Bike North chapter of Cycling Without Age, will put the grant towards purchasing their own trishaw and trailer, and to expand their service to many more people in the Northern Sydney area.

We also congratulate our finalists who will receive a $5,000 grant for the organisation they represent, and we thank them for their incredible contribution to the local community.

Anthony Rigney from KYDS Youth Development Service
Anthony Rigney is committed to youth mental health and works tirelessly to give local young people easy access to unlimited free counselling. As CEO of Lindfield-based KYDS Youth Development Service, Anthony leads a team who make people aged 12 to 19 feel comfortable, respected, and welcome when they seek support.

Matt Lonergan from Moving Against Domestic Violence - Movers
Matt Lonergan helps more than 100 families a year escape domestic violence by providing quick, efficient and safe moves. Matt’s charity, Moving Against Domestic Violence – Movers, connects clients with understanding removalists and provides volunteers to help with packing. It also sources necessities for a new home.

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