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

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 Doncaster Local Hero is:

Daphne Proietto

Keys of Life
Welcoming. Determined. Patient

Daphne Proietto is helping children with physical or learning disabilities defy doctors’ expectations by teaching them to play the piano.

Music teacher Daphne is an ambassador and inspiration for Keys of Life, a foundation that trains music teachers to use her approach to teach children with special needs to play the piano.

Thanks to her dedication, the children improve their motor skills while learning to play. For children with autism, learning the piano also enhances skills that may come naturally, such as perfect pitch and an excellent memory.

In her 20 years of teaching, Daphne has never turned a student away, no matter how profound their disability.

Among her many memorable moments was watching a child with a severe physical disability give an exhilarating public performance. She also celebrated when another student went on to study science at university after his parents were told he would never finish school because he lacked cognitive ability. Music gave him confidence and changed his life.

Daphne’s teaching helps the whole family, who relish in the child flourishing and excelling at something that appeared inconceivable.

“Learning to play the piano is such a powerful tool to stimulate new brain connections,” Daphne says.

Keys Fpr Life will put the grant towards establishing two musical groups in which students with disabilities can form friendships through making music together.

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.

Caroline Eshak-Liuzzi from Creative Art Theraphy Australia
Caroline Eshak-Liuzzi is the founder of Creative Art Therapy Australia. For 13 years, Caroline has been advocating and supporting marginalised, disadvantaged, and vulnerable people through Creative Arts Therapies. CATA supports at-risk youth, migrants, refugees, domestic violence survivors, terminally ill children, the elderly, disability groups and neuro and gender-diverse people.

Nat Alessio from Hohnes Road Playhouse
Tireless Nat Alessio has spent hundreds of volunteer hours rejuvenating the cherished Hohnes Road Playhouse and keeping it operating amid COVID and funding challenges. As President of the 52-year-old volunteer-run facility, Nat is doing everything she can to ensure its survival for the children of today and future generations.

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

Recognising all our 2022 nominees

View all of the Westfield Doncaster nominees and their organisation