We are excited to announce Lottie Dalziel from Banish as your 2024 Westfield Local Hero for Sydney!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Lottie at Banish 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 – totaling $AUD1.24 million to support local communities.

Your 2024 Westfield Sydney Local Hero is:

Lottie Dalziel

Banish

Bubbly. Caring. Inclusive.

Lottie Dalziel is committed to fostering a sustainable future for Australia through Banish and the Banish Recycling and Disposal Program (BRAD), which she founded six years ago. Banish is an education platform that helps Australians live more sustainably, with sustainability tips and actionable steps.

BRAD provides a service that helps reduce landfill waste by recycling items that councils do not accept, such as bottle top lids, blister packs, coffee pods and beauty product containers. The volunteer-led program has recycled over 2.5 million blister packs and engaged 20,000 households nationwide. Different micro-recyclers across Australia recycle all the BRAD plastics; however, last year, Lottie’s team began recycling plastic bottle top lids themselves. The lids were turned into new products like recyclable and refillable pens.

Lottie’s personal sustainability journey led her to create Banish. “I felt hopeless and overwhelmed when it came to the impact I was having on the planet,” she explains. “I knew I wasn’t the one who felt that way, so I created a platform to help educate people.”

Despite challenges, including not being taken seriously in the waste industry, her determination has ensured the program’s success. Through BRAD, Lottie organises workshops for kids and adults, providing practical experience in recycling and sustainability. Her work has a significant impact, creating a community of like-minded individuals working towards a greater good.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities. The finalist with the most community votes is the Westfield Sydney Local Hero for 2024, receiving a $20,000 grant for the organisation they represent. Banish will use the grant to further develop a children’s education program as well as other education resources used by BRAD.

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

Katie Green from Inner City Legal Centre

Katie Green is passionate about supporting and protecting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. As the managing principal solicitor of the Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC), Katie provides holistic and specialist legal services at no cost with a focus on family law, employment rights and domestic violence support.

Simla Sooboodoo from SLAK Flowers

Simla Sooboodoo is the founder and CEO of SLAK Flowers, a social enterprise that empowers women experiencing homelessness and unemployment. By providing skill development, support services and employment through floristry, she helps vulnerable women achieve financial independence and personal growth. Since 2020, Simla has employed 12 women, helping break cycles of poverty.

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

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Recognising all our 2024 nominees

View all of the Westfield Sydney nominees and their organisations.