Read about the eight 2024 Golden Shoe winners and some of the nominations highlighting the outstanding leadership, organisation and friendship they share with their group each and every walk.  Congratulations to all the other Walk Organisers who received nominations this year too!

Victoria
Beverley Morrissey (Point Cook Walkers)

Beverley Morrissey (aka Bev) has been walking with HFW since 2010!  She is a true heart hero at 82 years, often keeping pace with the younger walkers.  Bev states that she is the only Australian born person in her group, and has enjoyed supporting her walkers in not only increasing their steps but learning English too!

To recognize Bev's dedication in holding the group walk over many years which foster friendship and community spirit among local elderly residents. Bev does an outstanding job at ensuring her walking group is enjoying their activities. She’s extremely organised and cares personally about each of those in her group Bev has been part of the walking group for many many years and we would be lost without her Bev is 82 years of age but keeps up with even the youngest walker. She is absolutely amazing and inspiring to us all.

New South Wales
Gail Eckford  (Kincumber Walkers)

Gail has been with Heart Foundation Walking for nearly nine years. She also founded two other groups who are currently still walking: East Gosford Pacemakers and Green Point Walkers, now led by different Walk Organisers who took over from Gail.

So many are benefiting from her heart and passion to see people connected. I am a single women in my late 70’s and without her love for us all I would have suffered greatly from loneliness and disconnection and ignorant to the supports that I could and am now accessing as a result of this community. I am forever grateful for the fruit of all she has done. Especially in the chapter I am in. Eg. I invited some of the single ladies for a pot luck lunch. I had instant replies and all said yes. They are all such quality women too. Trustworthy and loyal. The kind of woman I need in my life right now. That is just 1 example of how she has blessed me. So very precious. ❤️
 

We are so fortunate to have Gail as our Leader, she is very capable, caring, and goes above and beyond when new members join, to welcome them into the group.

She organises a morning tea every month where members contribute and we recognise the members who are celebrating their birthdays that month. Also, additional outings are requested and she obliges and arranges them. Members have commented how much the walking group has meant to them being able to connect with other walkers and the feeling of ‘belonging’ and inclusion generated by our leader Gail and other members, especially members new to our area and new to our Country. Gail is so deserving of the Golden Shoe Award.

Queensland
Bonny Clarke (Australia Fair Walking Group)

Bonny has been with Heart Foundation Walking for five years!

Bonny is a kind and thoughtful woman and an amazing ambassador for The Heart Foundation. Always organising events to encourage friendship and walking. Bonny is always there to give a helping hand.
Her dedication and enthusiasm have played a pivotal role in uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds and fostering a strong sense of community belonging.
Bonny spends a lot of time organising social activities which are particularly appreciated by many of the single and more introverted walkers, and those who don't have independent transport, coordinating public transport options where needed.
Bonny’s social activities certainly allow the group to circulate and meet each other, allowing a lot of firm friendships, and even a marriage!

Western Australia
Patricia Pillings (Mandurah Happy Hearts Walking Group)

A note from Pat: Thank you to the Heart Foundation and our group for this award, but I must stress that the success of Happy Hearts Walking Group is as much the result of the support and dedication of my husband and Joint Walk Organiser, Colin, who organises the walks, takes the lead, co-ordinates with each cafe, and gets me there on time!  

Mandurah Happy Hearts Walking Group celebrates its 12th Birthday this May.  I put that success down to the strong friendships that have bonded within the group.  We walk on Thursdays throughout the year from a different cafe each calendar month and meet back for refreshments and a social.  This makes things more interesting, particularly for people new to Mandurah, as we cover different walks, areas in Mandurah, and cafes.  We have a few members who have been with the Group from the early days and the newer members bring different interests and personalities to the mix and rejuvenate the Group.  We also organise and host a group lunch several times during the year, further helping people get to know each other and make friends.  We have no committee but there are always members only too happy to offer their help and services in various contexts - we work as a family.  

 

Australian Capital Territory
Paul Hunt (Southpoint Mall Walkers; Tuggeranong Walk and Talk; Lake Tuggeranong Walkers)

Paul must be a busy Walk Organiser, facilitating not one but three groups around his home town of Tuggeranong!  He has been a HFW participant for eight years

Paul is so kind and supportive, and always encouraging especially of those who struggle the most. He subtly checks on walkers and makes sure the weakest are not isolated. And once a month after our walk he organises a coffee catch up, so we can stop and socialise. He is a very positive influence that binds us together.

He is caring, friendly, punctual, non-judgemental , a good communicator and looks after us all from the slowest to the fastest walkers.

Very supportive of varying levels of fitness.

South Australia
Dean Rowe (Aldinga Esplanade Walkers)

90 year old Dean has been with HFW for nearly 20 years!  Over his time with the program he has clocked up 4738 walks and counting!

Dean is the nicest man who always welcomes new walkers and loves a chat with us regular walkers. Dean himself has walked over 400 times and is a very young 90 year old. If there is a any change with our Monday walking group Dean will always send us an email to let us know the change. We have a Christmas get together each year and Dean is the man who organizes the event and they are always such a fun day. He is such a community person who also volunteers for Park Run and raising money for his late wife for Ovarian Cancer. Ask a busy person like Dean and he will always try to help.

Northern Territory
Pam Saisell (Darwin City Steppers)

Pam is a relatively new Heart Foundation Walking participant, registering back in March 2024 but has already won the hearts of her walkers!

She puts such effort into different walks and different cafes every single week plus walks it herself to gauge the time, conditions and alternate routes for me as I am just starting. She is inclusive, caring and just lovely. She is the reason I am now walking. Thank you

I have only just joined this walking group. Pam has made me feel so welcome.

She organises walks to the areas that are different each time interesting and a good fit for the group.

Tasmania
Dianne Walkley (Sorell Walking Around Group; Sorell Nordic Walking)

Dianne has been part of Heart Foundation Walking since 2021

Dianne puts so much effort, time and her own resources into making our walks enjoyable and interesting. Organizing walks to different locations from our home base and arranging places so that the group can have a coffee or a meal afterwards. Every walker in Dianne's group is important to her regardless of an individuals ability, and their safety and wellbeing is paramount to Dianne. Everything that Dianne does for our group is above and beyond with so much of her own time spent behind the scenes organizing and preparing walks, making arrangements, printing information flyers and so on. Working tirelessly and selflessly for her group, we are made to feel like family. We are very fortunate indeed to be a part of Dianne's mob.

Dianne goes above and beyond for all our walks plus she organises extra special ones each month. She also takes excellent photos of our group and the walking tracks and scenery.  It's all done with a smile and a giggle.

Please refer to the terms and conditions for full competition details.