The heart of Lockleys

Westpac employees from Lockleys in Adelaide volunteering at MarionLIFE, a South Australian not-for-profit. In 2018, the Lockley Community Committee raised over $7,700 for MarionLIFE which was matched dollar for dollar through the Westpac Matching Gifts Program.

 

17 June 2019

 

Lockleys in Adelaide is home to one of Westpac’s Home Ownership Service centres that handles originations, servicing and customer care functions across all Westpac Group brands. It is also home to one of our most active employee-run community committees.

 

“We’re a bunch of like-minded people with ambition to help, which stems from similar life experiences we’ve had ourselves,” says James Wigzell, Chair of the Lockleys Community Committee.

 

“Throughout our lives we have met people who had very little and were facing challenges through sickness, disadvantage or living with special needs. These were people just needing some care, support and kindness,” says James.

 

The Committee works in conjunction with the Home Ownership Services Leadership team and their colleagues to decide which charities they would like to support each year and organise fundraising events and community volunteering days around these charities. They’re also big supporters of the Matching Gifts program.

 

“It’s been the best program ever! Since 2017, we’ve been able to double the impact for over 50 organisations, collectively raising over $380,000 through Matching Gifts,” says James.

 

“Doubling donations via Matching Gifts, combined with our community volunteering days, means that even though we are only a small team, we can make a massive impact in our local community.”

 

One such organisation that the Lockleys team has supported is MarionLIFE.  MarionLIFE is a Westpac Foundation Community Grant recipient and a South Australian not for profit providing crisis support, financial counselling, responsive care and adult community education courses to individuals and families in need.

 

“MarionLIFE has had a personal connection with the Lockleys team for the last three years,” says Leighton Boyd, Director at MarionLIFE Community Services in Adelaide. “The team has volunteered with us, raised funds, and regularly check in to see how we’re going.”
 

Leighton Boyd (centre) with MarionLIFE Board Chair, Peter Fowler (left) and Lester Wynne-Jones, State General Manager Retail & Premium WA & SANT at the 2018 Westpac Foundation community grants celebration in SA.

 

“The donations helped us to continue to run our vital emergency relief services like providing foodbank vouchers and school shoes for individuals and families in need.”

 

Leighton sees Westpac’s Matching Gifts program as a valuable offering to the community. “It shows that Westpac acknowledges the work that community organisations do at the grassroots level and sends the message that people really matter, especially the most vulnerable.”