AFTER more than a decade of attending Warrnambool’s Fun4Kids Festival, humanitarian Moira Kelly says it’s the locals’ kindness that keeps her coming back.
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“People in Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Koroit are amazing, they embrace us every year,” she said.
“I absolutely love it here.”
Ms Kelly is renowned for her work with the Children First Foundation, which brings children in need of medical treatment to Australia. While she has stepped back from that role, she is still involved in humanitarian work.
She said the annual pilgrimage to the south-west gave the many children in her care the chance of the welcome holiday.
“The whole idea is to bring the kids and give them a holiday in Warrnambool, it’s certainly an annual event,” Ms Kelly said.
“It’s also where the kids can be kids again and our kids have gone through some traumatic things at times and it’s a chance for them to be kids again.”
This year Ms Kelly has brought a group of about 15 to the festival, including twins Trishna and Krishna and The X Factor alumni Emmanuel.
“We get hosted by them (Fun4Kids) every year, which is amazing,” Ms Kelly said.
“And this year Callaghans Motors have given us this car to use, that has saved us the cost of a car. To have the van has been a real blessing.”
Ms Kelly will return to Melbourne next week where she will continue work on her latest project – Global Gardens of Peace – which is working to build an 18-acre children’s garden in Gaza.
“You drive along the streets and you see the children on the gravel, playing with just concrete and stones,” she said.
“It’s just hard to believe that there is nowhere for children to play and play safely in Gaza. When you go there and see that there’s no trees and no green grass, it was amazing.”
“I just got back from Gaza and with my colleague Louise we’ve set up Global Gardens of Peace in Gaza with some of the team from the botanic gardens in Melbourne.
"We went to the site of the land and we’re working with local designers as well.
“I also saw a child there that I’m bringing out to Australia and I’ve also got a child coming out in four weeks from Afghanistan with a serious medical problem.”