03/09/2026
Meet Stuart and Nike - 2026 Westfield Local Hero finalist 🐾
Every week, Stuart Thorn and his border collie Nike sit down with Year 2 children at Torrens Primary School and do something quietly extraordinary: they make reading feel enjoyable.
Through .org.au, children who find reading a challenge get to read aloud to a dog who never corrects them, never rushes them and never minds a stumble. Confidence grows one page at a time.
Stuart joined Story Dogs in 2024 and now coordinates volunteer teams right across Canberra South - recruiting new volunteers and building partnerships with schools across the region.
He is now one of three finalists for the 2026 Westfield Local Hero award at Westfield Woden, where a $20,000 grant is on offer. If Stuart is successful, the grant will be used to train five new volunteer coordinators and provide starter kits for new volunteer teams. More dogs, more schools, more children discovering that reading can be something they look forward to.
Blackshaw Manuka is proud to sponsor Stuart and Nike, and prouder still to see them recognised.
🗳️ Vote for Stuart & Nike - https://bit.ly/4zNNDMx
📍 Or meet the finalists in person at Westfield Woden until 20 September.
