We are excited to announce Brian Edward from Lions Club of Geelong Corio Bay as your 2023 Westfield Local Hero for Geelong!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Brian and Lions Club of Geelong Corio Bay 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.

Nominations for the 2024 Westfield Local Heroes program are open now. If you know someone who's making an impact, nominate them as a Westfield Local Hero - nominate here.

Your 2023 Westfield Geelong Local Hero is:

Brian Stewart Edward

Lions Club of Geelong Corio Bay inc.

Concerned. Committed. Admirable.

Brian Stewart Edward is devoting his retirement to helping others and has raised more than $400,000 for disadvantaged children. 

Aged 83, Brian is the children’s camp coordinator at Lions Geelong Corio Bay. His fundraising over the past 23 years has enabled 1,300 children to attend five-day Lions-sponsored Licola summer camps. 

The children are referred by family support agencies, refugee groups or their schools. They benefit from participating in challenging outdoor activities and making positive connections with their peers and leaders. 

Brian usually accompanies the 120 children and 30 volunteer carers to the camps. He supports the volunteers as they   

encourage the children to participate in activities like rock climbing, riding the giant swing, canoeing, crafts and night hikes. 

Brian’s a great role model with many achievements during his lifetime. These include reaching the rank of Chief Superintendent during a distinguished 45-year Victoria Police career and being awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2021 for service to a range of community organisations.  

Brian finds it very pleasing to be nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “I am just an ordinary person representing the thousands of senior citizens in Geelong who give their time to help the less fortunate.” 

The Lions Club of Geelong Corio Bay will use its funds to cover the costs of 40 children to attend a five-day camp.

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

Jade Hamilton from Lazurus

Jade Hamilton is the General Manager at Lazarus Community Centre in Geelong, where she offers a welcoming space for the 45 people a day who visit for a cooked lunch, a shower and to use the laundry facilities. Jade is passionate about helping people and strives to foster a sense of belonging for her guests.

Libby Bate from Cancer After Care Group Geelong

Libby Bate works tirelessly to raise funds for improved cancer care in Geelong. Libby is President of the Cancer After Care Group Geelong, and patients in the region have better care closer to home because of her work. The group has donated more than $4 million to the Andrew Love Cancer Centre since 1978.

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

Recognising all our 2023 nominees

View all of the Westfield Geelong nominees and their organisations.