We are excited to announce Kate Buchan from STARZ Dance WA as your 2024 Westfield Local Hero for Westfield Innaloo!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Kate Buchan at STARZ Dance WA to continue to grow their impact in the local community.

The 2024 Westfield Local Heroes program will award 125 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $AUD1.24 million to support local communities.

Your 2024 Westfield Innaloo Local Hero is:

Kate Buchan

STARZ Dance WA

Dedicated. Resilient. Inclusive.

Kate Buchan is dedicated to fostering inclusive opportunities within the dance industry, advocating for the health and mental well-being of children and young adults with disabilities. As the founder of STARZ Dance WA, she has pioneered a charity that offers complimentary dance lessons tailored to individuals living with disabilities.

By providing free, accessible dance classes, Kate helps her dancers develop creativity and confidence while improving their physical fitness and coordination.

The dance program raises awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and advocates for greater inclusivity and acceptance in the wider community. But Kate’s work isn’t without challenges.

Kate works tirelessly to secure funding, source suitable venues, and acquire resources to keep the program accessible and tailored to each participant's needs. She also gives students the opportunity to perform in competitions and recitals at no cost. STARZ Dance covers costumes, tickets and participation fees.

Kate's motivation comes from witnessing the joy, confidence and sense of belonging that dance brings. "Every move they make is a testament to their resilience and capability," she says. "It's a privilege to facilitate their journey of self-expression.

More than 100 local families benefit from STARZ Dance classes. Kate has a dedicated team of five exceptional specialists who help to facilitate and run the Starz program on a weekly basis.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities. The finalist with the most community votes is the Westfield Innaloo Local Hero for 2024, receiving a $20,000 grant for the organisation they represent. STARZ Dance WA will use the grant to provide specialised inclusive training to her staff and invest in more adaptive equipment and resources.

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

Ashley (Ash) Moon from City of Stirling Mens Shed

As a founding member of the Stirling Community Men's Shed, Ash Moon has dedicated 13 years to enhancing men's mental health and wellbeing. Ash maintains machinery and equipment, leads community projects and provides mentorship to newer members. The Men's Shed benefits more than 2,000 locals through its projects.

Gareth Shanthikumar from MAN UP WA

Gareth Shanthikumar, co-founder of MAN UP WA, wants to inspire young men to live authentically, embrace vulnerability, and hold one another accountable. His workshops with high school students cover mental health, resilience, consent and gender-based violence. Gareth provides subsidies to low socioeconomic schools and has helped more than 7,000 students so far.

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

Recognising all our 2024 nominees

View all of the Westfield Innaloo nominees and their organisations.