Westfield Local Heroes

Elder Care Volunteers

Through her work with Elder Care Volunteers in Greenlane and Epsom over the past four years, Chelsea has brought comfort to elderly care home residents, while mentoring over 100 volunteers. Her empathy, shaped by personal struggles, helps her create lasting bonds with residents from all backgrounds with dementia and complex medical conditions.

Orange Sky New Zealand Ltd

Stephen is a dedicated volunteer for Orange Sky New Zealand, maintaining vans, laundry pods and internal laundries across Auckland that provide showers and washing for people facing hardship. From fixing equipment to handling logistics and compliance, his work ensures vital services continue, and that the charity offers a safe, welcoming space for connection and dignity.

Dress for Success Incorporated

Kirsten Smedley supports women facing challenges by providing professional clothing and career services to help them gain employment or commence study. Kirsten began volunteering with Dress for Success over ten years ago. During that time, she has been instrumental in developing the two-year wrap around Career Centre support offered to clients through workshops, networking and coaching.

Recreate NZ

As the head of Recreate NZ’s employment program, Sarah Ferens empowers young people with disabilities. She is passionate about helping forge pathways for rangatahi towards independence and social inclusion. Through her leadership, Recreate NZ supports over 300 people annually, offering work skills education, employment opportunities and fostering belonging and inclusion within the community.

Youthline Auckland Charitable Trust

Starsha Samarasinghe overcame personal mental health challenges and now supports other rangatahi to do the same. As the volunteer coordinator at Youthline Auckland, she trains and supports volunteer counsellors who staff Youthline’s 24/7 Helpline. Her efforts ensure volunteers provide life-saving support to thousands of rangatahi.

Camp Quality NZ

Caring Ghissy Lee goes above and beyond to help children with cancer enjoy a fun-filled break away from home. Ghissy is the Auckland Registrar and Fundraising Coordinator at Camp Quality NZ, which runs specialised summer and winter camps for children aged five to sixteen. As a former camper who had cancer as a child, Ghissy knows the experience is the highlight of the year for many children.

Bellyful Auckland Central

Mhairi Freer has spent seven years helping to keep new parents and their babies nourished and connected to the outside world. Mhairi is the friendly volunteer face of Bellyful Auckland Central, which delivers lovingly made free frozen meals for whānau in Central Auckland who need support during an exhausting phase of life.

Chip Packet Project New Zealand

Terrena Griffiths is the founder and National Coordinator of Chip Packet Project New Zealand, where she is keeping homeless people warm and saving rubbish from landfill. Terrena and her network of volunteers work at home and in retirement villages, schools and community centres to make up durable survival blankets that are given to people in need to keep them warm.