We are excited to announce Claude Lyle Harvey OAM from Bravehearts as your 2023 Westfield Local Hero for Coomera!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Claude and Bravehearts to continue to grow their impact in the local community

The 2023 Westfield Local Heroes program will award 126 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $1.26 million to support local communities.

For further information or to discover the Westfield Local Heroes at other Westfield centres, visit the Westfield Local Heroes website.

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Your 2023 Westfield Coomera Local Hero is:

Claude 'The Mower Man' Harvey OAM

Bravehearts

Passionate. Dedicated. Inspiring.

Grandad Claude Lyle Harvey OAM is known as The Mower Man and has raised almost $1.6 million to care for survivors of child sexual abuse and to protect and educate children.

Claude donates all the money he raises to Bravehearts, which provides a coordinated and holistic approach to preventing and treating child sexual abuse.

One of Bravehearts’ standout out offerings is Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure Show, which includes three age-appropriate teaching modules for early learning centres and lower primary schools.

Claude started his famous lawnmower fundraising campaign on the Gold Coast after hearing disturbing stories about child sexual abuse. In 2008, he capitalised on his growing popularity by completing a four-week walk from the Gold Coast to Sydney, collecting donations along the way.

Claude has received many accolades and is the 2023 Queensland Senior Australian of the Year. His goal is to raise $2 million in his lifetime to help Bravehearts achieve its end game of an Australia in which people, communities and systems all work together to protect children from child sexual abuse.

Claude feels honoured to be nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “I want to help Bravehearts get the Ditto program to every school in Australia,” he says.

Bravehearts will use its funds to make a video of Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure for children in rural and remote areas.

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

Kate Hucker from Coomera State Special School

Kate Hucker devotes her working life to children with intellectual disability. The Principal of Coomera State Special School puts her students and their families first as she strives to help everyone live meaningfully and achieve their potential. A crucial focus is creating human connections with the Coomera community, including students from mainstream schools.

Ronnie Benbow OAM from The Carers Foundation Australia

Ronnie Benbow founded The Carers Foundation Australia to look after the emotional needs of unpaid child and adult carers. The foundation provides free three-day wellness programs to support carers across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. It has more than 280 family carers in the Gold Coast alone, although Ronnie believes many others need her help.

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

Recognising all our 2023 nominees

View all of the Westfield Coomera nominees and their organisations.