Trevor Willard News Today

It is nearly time to honour some of the Eastern Cape’s most selfless and impactful changemakers as nominations for the Daily Dispatch Johnson’s Baby Local Heroes awards open on April 1. Daily Dispatch readers are invited to nominate individuals from their communities, who go above and beyond to positively impact the lives of the less fortunate through outreach activities, for a chance to be crowned this year’s local heroes.

It is nearly time to honour some of the Eastern Cape’s most selfless and impactful changemakers as nominations for the Daily Dispatch Johnson’s Baby Local Heroes awards open on April 1. Daily Dispatch readers are invited to nominate individuals from their communities, who go above and beyond to positively impact the lives of the less fortunate through outreach activities, for a chance to be crowned this year’s local heroes.

Retiree Trevor Willard, 62, keeps a file of letters from men his organisation has helped pull back from the brink of despair . These are not simply words of thanks, but detailed descriptions of the action taken by Willard and his NPO, Open Hands, from men who now have jobs, rekindled family relationships and renewed faith in living.

This year the Local Hero gala event was a night of rose gold glamour in honour of 12 winners whose work helping their communities stood out from more than 50 nominees. In the first in-person event since 2019, the Daily Dispatch and Johnson & Johnson Local Heroes awarded the selected finalists with R20,000 and a professionally shot video of their projects.

This year the Local Hero gala event was a night of rose gold glamour in honour of 12 winners whose work helping their communities stood out from more than 50 nominees. In the first in-person event since 2019, the Daily Dispatch and Johnson & Johnson Local Heroes awarded the selected finalists with R20,000 and a professionally shot video of their projects.

Retiree Trevor Willard, 62, keeps a file of letters from men his organisation has helped pull back from the brink of death. These are not simply words of thanks, but detailed descriptions of the action taken by Willard and his NPO, Open Hands, from men who now have jobs, have rekindled family relationships, and new beginnings.