Your 2025 Westfield Sydney Local Hero is:

Patricia Tacchi

City Community Care - Early Bird Cafe

Industrious. Compassionate. Understanding.

She may be 78 years old, but Trish still spends up to 20 hours per week serving breakfast to people in Sydney experiencing homelessness and hunger. 

Trish has been volunteering at the Early Bird Café in the city for eight years. As well as serving food, Trish also manages the stock, purchases supplies, cleans, and proposes new initiatives and practical ideas. Since 2023, she has also been a board member. 

“My role at the Early Bird Café has enabled me to participate in caring for others,” says Trish. 

She adds, “Knowing I have assisted my community and contributed in a small way gives me a sense of purpose and meaning, especially as I live in the city and observe homelessness daily. Volunteering at the café means that I can show kindness, understanding and empathy toward others in need.” 

Six days per week, more than 200 people come to the cafe for nourishment, which now includes prepared meals that visitors can take away, giving them food for the rest of the day. The organisation also offers a health service, clothes washing, toiletries, books and anything else people need. 

Through her work and her empathy, Trish ensures dignity for everyone who visits the Early Bird Café, and as a result, makes the homeless community more resilient. 

The $20,000 grant will be used to cook and package 12,000 prepared meals.

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

Angelique Wan from Consent Labs

At the age of 19, Angelique co-founded Consent Labs to change the culture around consent and sexual violence. Frustrated by her own schooling, she created youth-led, evidence-based teaching to educate students, parents, carers and teachers. Since 2021, more than 135,000 people have been through the charity’s programs, building a safer future for young people.

Anna Brooks from Lifeline Australia

Through her partnership and research work with Lifeline Australia, Anna helps enhance crisis support and mental health services for people in emotional distress. She collaborates with experts to improve services, developing tools and initiatives that ensure no one faces trauma alone. Anna is driven by the daily positive impact of the charity’s work.

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

Recognising all our 2025 nominees

View all of the Westfield Sydney nominees and their organisations.