On Thursday February 13 2020, The Belgravia Foundation wrapped up its third annual Inspiration Breakfast. The Breakfast was hosted by Olympic gold medalist, world champion and former world record-holder Brooke Hanson, who supports many charities and is a Board Member of the Foundation.

The theme of the event was aquatics, inspired by the Foundation’s ‘All In!’ project that highlights swim teacher training programs that improve the knowledge and confidence of swim teachers to welcome and support people with a disability or people of cultural and linguistic diversity into swimming and aquatic experiences.

Guest speakers included the Strahan family, who shared Evan Strahan’s inspiring journey in overcoming his disability towards building a stable career path for himself as a lifeguard and customer service officer at Kilsyth Centenary Pool. Other speakers included Swimming Australia Paralympian Tim Hodge who represented Australia in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, and Emma Withers, who shared her family’s story of benefitting from support to help her three children, all of whom live with a disability, to learn to swim and be safe around water.

“The Belgravia Foundation is passionate about removing barriers in our community,” said the Belgravia Foundation Board Chair Alex Lord. “Through our Inspiration Breakfasts we hope to raise awareness of the necessity for improved inclusivity of community-based swimming and water safety programs, as well as all programs offered by the leisure sector.”

The Inspiration Breakfast was attended by over 250 people, some who had flown in to Melbourne just to attend the event.  Belgravia Foundation CEO Dr Jeff Walkley reported “The fundraiser has raised over $50,000 and every cent of that will go towards supporting the leisure sector to create opportunities in local communities to include all, with our aim being no one misses out”.