Presenting your 2020 Westfield Local Heroes

We are excited to announce your three 2020 successful Westfield Local Heroes for St Lukes.

These inspiring local leaders were nominated and voted for by the community and will now be awarded a $10,000 grant for each of their affiliated organisations to help their important work to grow.

Westfield Local Heroes is a community recognition and grants program, connecting and enriching local communities. Launched in 2018, the program spans our 42 trade areas across Australia and New Zealand. In 2020, we are awarding $1.26 million to 126 local organisations.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here.

Your three Westfield St Lukes Local Heroes are:

Bernie Harfleet

Give a Kid a Blanket
Humble. Compassionate. Self-sacrificing
Story body-StLukes BernieHarfleet V2

Bernie Harfleet and his partner, Donna Turtle Sarten, are harnessing community goodwill to embrace children in need with warmth and love. They founded the charity Give a Kid a Blanket in 2015 to collect blankets, pyjamas and other warming items which are given to children and families in need. The idea is that the people who receive the blankets benefit from physical and emotional warmth and feel valued by the community. "Over the last six years, we have gifted around 100,000 items," says Bernie. "I do this because it is possible to make a difference with practical local action."

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Lydia Hollister-Jones

Gratis Free Store
Compassionate. Selfless. Contagious
Story body-StLukes LydiaHollisterJones

Lydia Hollister-Jones, leader of Gratis Free Store, sets out each week to provide vulnerable people with food. But the store has become so much more for the disadvantaged people who queue to get in for the conversation and friendship they find, as much as for the free food and hot drinks. It's a welcome refuge for those who are struggling with loneliness, hunger, homelessness, and addiction. "We've seen confidence rise in our community because people are genuinely interested in hearing what others have to say. We chat about everything, from our favourite doughnuts to how our mental health is doing." Lydia says.

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Tayla Nasmith

Mummy's In Need
Passionate. Selfless. Caring
Story body-StLukes TaylaNasmith

Tayla Jane Nasmith was 12 when she started Mummys in Need to help mums with essentials for their children. That was in 2012. Tayla was driven to do something positive when she saw a baby in a supermarket wearing nothing but a singlet. Since then, Tayla has spent much of her time fundraising and collecting, buying, organising and delivering prams, clothes, toys and other items. The charity now supports about 170 babies a month. "I absolutely love the work I do and I love knowing that there are babies out there that are safe because of us," says Tayla.

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