Unsung heroes event a hit

More than 350 people gathered to hear some of Australia’s most successful CEOs, business and community leaders using the power of their voices to raise money for a Cedar Creek charity that cares for a legion of unsung heroes – unpaid family carers.

The Carers Foundation Australia Unsung Heroes Gala 2023 was held at Fortitude Music Hall on Saturday, with guests gathering to raise crucial funds to support unpaid family carers.

Between them, eight performers raised almost $400,000 and the total is still climbing.

International best-selling author Nat Nixon alone raised more than $173,000.

She was joined on stage by Triple M’s Margaux Parker.

Cryptoloc founder Jamie Wilson, journalist and co-founder of The Audacious Agency Annette Densham, Universal Store CEO Alice Barbery and Walker Hill Digital director Lana Hill rounded out the performers who took to the stage on the night. 

Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM and his mum and carer Chithrani Palipana were unable to attend, as was The Coffee Club CEO John Lazarou.

Special guests

They’d spent months preparing for the event under the guidance of vocal coach Lisa Lockland-Bell of Performance Studios.

They performed in front of celebrity judges Brisbane Lady Mayoress and Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust Chair Nina Schrinner, Australian country music singer Tania Kernaghan and actor and TV host Mike Goldman, with Stewart Fleming and Hot Tomato Breakfast co-presenter Emily-Jade O'Keeffe as MCs and fashion designer Sonia Stradiotto as auctioneer.
The success of the evening brings The Carers Foundation Australia co-founder Ronnie Benbow one step closer to achieving her goal of creating a purpose-built facility to accommodate, educate, and rejuvenate carers before they face health crisis breakdowns.

Dedicated facility

It's envisaged the facility will be available 24/7 and will be the only centre specifically for carers in Australia.

“It was incredible,” Ronnie says.

“It’s massive because our long-term goal is to establish Australia’s first wellbeing centre for carers.

“Thirty percent of carers die before the people they care for because they work so hard.

“With that we will be able to do our vital wellbeing programs there, as well as train our volunteers and facilitators.

“We will also be a social enterprise model, providing corporate retreats to give the charity long term sustainability.”

How you can help

To learn more about how you can support the work of The Carers Foundation Australia, click here.