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

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 Marion Local Hero is:

Cheryle Pinkess

Grocer with a Heart
Caring. Selfless. Inclusive

Caring Cheryle Pinkess is giving her all to ensure people in her community have food on their table.

Cheryle is a driving force behind Grocer with a Heart, a shop where people can collect healthy produce at little or no cost.

By building connections with local supermarkets, farmers and bakeries, Cheryle rescues nutritious food from being sent to landfill.

She, along with a dedicated team collects most of the food for the store, well stocked with fruit, vegetables, meat and other pantry essentials, including directly from the farm gate.

Cheryle strives to address the causes of food insecurity, so people don’t find themselves in crisis. She does this by building connections with our community, customers and gently passing on meal-planning skills with tips about food shopping.

Cheryle’s vision is that the store will eventually include a community garden and cooking school to further build knowledge, skills and self-sufficiency.

She is proud that the shop is helping people who often fall through the cracks. For example, many customers are ineligible for other charitable programs because they don’t receive government assistance.

“Tackling food waste and insecurity, improves people’s nutrition, wellbeing, mental health and builds confidence and courage” Cheryle says.

Our community grocery store is open to everyone.

Grocer with a Heart will use its funds to buy a snap freezer and oven combination to preserve seasonal fruits and vegetables and further stretch food donations.

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.

John Mannion from Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation
Visionary John Mannion is driven by compassion for individuals with mental health struggles and a passion for researching new approaches to preventing and treating mental illness. As Executive Director of the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, John leads a team focused on youth mental health, depression, eating disorders and indigenous mental health.

Melissa Pearce from KIDS Foundation
Caring Melissa Pearce has spent five years building a local support system for hundreds of local children and young adults who have experienced a severe burn or other life-changing injuries. Melissa is the volunteer South Australia project coordinator of the KIDS Foundation, where she facilitates vital connection through regular get-togethers and an annual camp.

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

Recognising all our 2022 nominees

View all of the Westfield Marion nominees and their organisation