Peel locals finalists in the 2026 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards

Two Peel volunteers and a charity are among the 21 finalists in the 2026 WA Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Selected from more than 240 nominations, the finalists represent many sectors of volunteering, including health, emergency response, aged care, law, human rights, mental health and domestic violence services.

The WA Volunteer of the Year Awards honour some of the incredible people and organisations who make a significant impact to the community through volunteering. 

Kerrie Overell from WestAus Crisis & Welfare Services has been selected as a finalist in the WA Volunteer of the Year category.

Ms Overell has over 40 years of volunteering under her belt and with the help of Foodbank has delivered 89,845 breakfast meals to children across the Peel Region in 2025 alone through the Healthy Breakfast Club program.

She has also assisted over 4000 people through the Refresh Showers program which treats individuals with dignity, enabling social interaction and providing them with refreshments and clean clothing.

Leandri Cronje has also been named a finalist in the Excellence in Volunteer Management category.

Ms Cronje has volunteered as the Schools Program Coordinator at Bridge Builders for the last three years.

She leads the Backpack Buddies program which provides 220 children across the Peel and Rockingham region with a backpack every Friday, filled with food.

Ms Cronje recruits, onboards and trains the volunteers who are packing the bags.

She has created an inclusive volunteer model, establishing a partnership with a local Education Support School, enabling students with disabilities to regularly assist with packing.

Leandri Cronje leads the Backpack Buddies program. PIC: Supplied

Peel-based organisation Invisible Illnesses Inc. is a finalist in the Inclusive Volunteering Award category.

The charity is helping to remove the stigma and judgement surrounding invisible illnesses through its inclusive volunteering program.

Invisible Illnesses delivers inclusive, flexible, and trauma-informed volunteering opportunities for people living with invisible illness, disability, neurodivergence, mental health challenges, caring responsibilities, and social disadvantage.

The program runs across Rockingham, Kwinana, Mandurah and surrounding WA Communities through community support services, peer programs, advocacy initiatives, events, and social enterprise arm, Shop 4 A Cause.

The program supports more than 120 volunteers who may experience fluctuating capacity, fatigue, chronic pain, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, PTSD, Autism, ADHD, and other invisible conditions.

Peel-based organisation Invisible Illnesses Inc. is a finalist in the Inclusive Volunteering Award category. PIC: Supplied

The 2026 Winners will be announced at the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards on Thursday May 14, ahead of National Volunteer Week (18-24 May 2026).