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Westfield Local Heroes WA Finalists: Who Was Shortlisted and How the Grants Work

Six Western Australians were shortlisted in the 2025 Westfield Local Heroes round. Here is who they are, how the grants work, and the 2026 dates.
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Six Western Australians were shortlisted in the 2025 Westfield Local Heroes round, three at Westfield Booragoon and three at Westfield Carousel. Each centre’s public vote chose a winner who received a $20,000 grant for their organisation, and the other two finalists at each centre received $5,000 each. The 2025 shortlist is historical. Westfield’s 2026 round has its own finalists, and voting for it closed on 20 September 2026, with winners due to be announced on 20 October 2026.

The 2025 WA shortlist, centre by centre

PerthNow reported the shortlist on 21 August 2025, when the finalists were shown at Westfield Booragoon and Westfield Carousel. The figures below are the ones PerthNow published in that report. They are not audited counts and they have not been updated since.

Centre Finalist Organisation What the group does Figure reported in 2025
Westfield Booragoon Benjamin Rowe Blind Sports WA Helps blind and visually impaired people take part in sport and music. Rowe chairs the group, is a former international competitor, leads a music group and advocates for accessible spaces. Not stated
Westfield Booragoon Jennifer Ball Worthy Australia Founded by Ball; she and volunteers turn empty houses into safe, furnished homes for families escaping domestic violence. 58 houses transformed
Westfield Booragoon Nicole Abbott Get Scrubbed Began during the pandemic sewing items for healthcare workers. Now brings Perth volunteers together monthly to make gifts for people in hospitals or care, using fabric that would otherwise go to landfill. Not stated
Westfield Carousel Andrew McGovern McGovern Foundation Co-founded a program offering supervised driving and mentoring to people facing barriers to getting a licence. More than 580 people licensed since 2021
Westfield Carousel Judy Potter People Helping People Provides free food to families and free events and activity programs. The work started with Potter sharing soup with neighbours during the COVID-19 lockdown. More than 70 families supported each week
Westfield Carousel Maryann Tsai Reach Her Inc. Supports women through programs for financial independence and personal wellbeing, including mentorship, scholarships and business training. More than 800 women helped in Bentley and Victoria Park since 2022

The reporting does not say which finalist won at each centre, so this article does not name winners for 2025.

How Westfield Local Heroes works

Westfield describes the program as “a recognition, grants and partnerships program that shines the spotlight on individuals in Australia and New Zealand who make a positive impact to their local community or environment.” Each round follows the same general sequence:

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  1. Community nominations. Members of the public nominate people or organisations they think are making a difference locally.
  2. Nominee and organisation submissions. Nominees and organisations complete their own applications.
  3. Panel assessment and validation. A panel reviews the submissions and checks them before anyone is shortlisted.
  4. Three finalists per destination. Each participating Westfield centre names three finalists.
  5. Community voting. The public votes for one winner per centre.
  6. Winner announcements and grants. Winners are announced, and grants are paid to the organisations involved.

Grant amounts

PerthNow reported the 2025 amounts, and Westfield’s official 2026 page lists the same amounts for its round across 42 destinations.

Place at each centre Grant to the organisation
Winner (chosen by public vote) $20,000
Each of the other two finalists $5,000 each

Westfield states that up to AUD 1.25 million is available in grants for the 2026 cycle. That is a ceiling on the total, not a guaranteed payout.

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The 2026 cycle timeline

Westfield’s official process page sets out the 2026 dates below. As of 8 October 2026, voting has closed and the page says winners are expected on 20 October 2026.

Stage Dates (2026 cycle)
Community nominations 14 October 2025 to 12 March 2026
Nominee and organisation submissions Through 19 March 2026
Community voting 25 August to 20 September 2026 (now closed)
Winner announcements 20 October 2026
Celebrations 20 October to 8 November 2026
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What the 2025 figures can and cannot tell you

  • The impact numbers come from PerthNow’s 2025 reporting. Westfield does not confirm them, and they may have changed since then.
  • The reporting contains no direct quotation from any of the six finalists, so this article does not quote them.
  • Westfield’s official pages confirm the program rules and the 2026 status. They do not independently confirm the 2025 roster.
  • The 2026 finalists are not listed here. To see them, or the winners once announced, check Westfield’s Local Heroes page after 20 October 2026.

If you are looking for a community group to support, the 2025 finalists above are a useful starting point. Check each organisation’s own website or contact details before you donate or volunteer, since the public figures above are from a single news report.

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  • This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
  • Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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