Announcing your 2023 Westfield Local Hero

We are excited to announce Gary Wilson from Ambulance Wish Western Australia as your 2023 Westfield Local Hero for Innaloo!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Gary and Ambulance Wish Western Australia 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 Innaloo Local Hero is:

Gary Wilson

Ambulance Wish Western Australia

Humble. Diligent. Kind

Kind paramedic Gary Wilson digs deep to provide terminally ill people with the specialist transport with medical care they need to fulfil their final wishes.

Gary is the volunteer co-founder of Ambulance Wish Western Australia, a charity that enables people to experience a joyous family occasion, visit a meaningful place or do something on their bucket list that would otherwise be out of reach.

Thanks to Gary and his wife, Susie, it is possible to gather family and friends to create one last memory and celebration of their loved one. The family benefit from doing something positive for their loved one, and the clinicians benefit from helping someone emotionally when they cannot help them clinically.

Gary was inspired to launch the WA branch of Ambulance Wish after a friend passed away without being given a chance to fulfil their final wish.

With Susie, a nurse and paramedic, they both worked long and hard to raise funds, recruit a team of enthusiastic volunteers and source donated ambulances to make their vision a reality.

Gary feels privileged to be nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “The positive feedback we receive from wish recipients and their families provides continued motivation to develop and expand the charity.”

Ambulance Wish Western Australia will use its funds to contribute to the running costs of the Final Wish program, improve volunteer facilities and buy warm winter workwear for volunteers.

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

Luke Hallam from Ocean Heroes

Luke is a co-founder and director of Ocean Heroes, a not-for-profit that aims to improve the wellbeing of those living with autism and their families through surfing. Luke was a personal trainer who specialises in working with people on the autism spectrum. He’s passionate about giving opportunities people never thought possible.

Marjolijn Godrich from Cycling Without Age Perth

Marjolijn Godrich goes above and beyond to give older people and those with disability an opportunity to enjoy the wind in their face as they take a morale-boosting outdoor cycle ride. Marjolijn is an enthusiastic volunteer leader at Cycling Without Age Perth, where she takes people unable to ride themselves on free rides on three-wheeled e-bikes.

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