The Community Advisory Committee is a special new Committee whose role is to provide advice to our Board, helping us to plan and implement a meaningful community engagement strategy.

The Committee is comprised of ten bereaved parents with representation from all states and experiences of loss including both mums and dads. We are thrilled to welcome such an impressive calibre of community members to this important new Committee.

Members include:

• Nicole Ireland, Chairperson
• David Brown, bereaved dad from Western Australia
• Bonnie Carter, bereaved mum from the ACT
• Scott Connolly, bereaved dad from Victoria
• Emma Hain, bereaved mum from NSW
• Samantha Jager, bereaved mum from Queensland
• Amelia Joyce, bereaved mum from South Australia
• Ari Magalhaes, bereaved mum from Tasmania
• Aynur Turker, bereaved mum from Victoria
• Megan Warren, bereaved mum from Western Australia
• Nick Xerakias, Board Member Representative.

For more than forty years, community has been at the heart of everything we do. Our work has always been driven by your needs and our future plans have been influenced by the unique experiences of loss and grief you’ve shared with us.

We are committed to making sure that the voices of bereaved families continue to shape the services and activities of Red Nose, and the Committee will play a lead role in helping the Board to ensure we remain accountable to our grassroots history.

The committee’s inaugural chair will be Nicole Ireland, who has been involved with Sands for many years.

Nicole says she is thrilled to be chairing the Committee.

“As a long-time member of the Sands family and a passionate advocate for our grass roots activities, I am delighted the Board of Red Nose has endorsed the formation of the Community Advisory Committee.

“I feel honoured and privileged to chair this Committee as I truly value the collective support of bereaved parents and the community we have created, and will continue to grow, together,” says Nicole.

“To me, this Committee provides a strong link between the community of bereaved parents from both Red Nose and Sands right across the country to the broader organisation and to our external stakeholders.

“I believe we have a fantastic opportunity to share best practice events, ideas and programs to support our community and ensure everyone remains connected, engaged and included – and to make sure that all bereaved parents, including those who will unfortunately join our community in the future, will be able to access the care and support they deserve,” says Nicole.

On behalf of my family and all of the families within our community, I sincerely thank the Committee members for joining the Committee and their commitment to helping to support all bereaved families across Australia.

Craig Heatley, Red Nose Chairperson