Local philanthropists recognised for impact

Giving circle Impact100 WA founding members Sophie Chamberlain and Simone Eley have been named in the Pro Bono Australia Impact 25 National Awards.

The pair were among the group who started the giving circle in 2012.

Impact100 WA works by 100 people donating a minimum of $1,000 annually.

Donors then award the grants to local, lesser-known Western Australian charities at an annual dinner.

Over the past 10 years, the group had donated more than $2 million to WA charities.

Ms Chamberlain works in a volunteer capacity and handles the group’s communications.

She is also a board member at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

Ms Eley serves as chair of Impact100 WA and is an ambassador for Australian Philanthropic Services.

She said the accolade was possible due to the generous and talented people who were part of Impact100 WA.

“With so much bad news in the world, it is heartening to know that there are so many great people doing fantastic work with their charities,” Ms Eley said.

“It has been a privilege to be able to shine a light on them and direct funding towards them and make a real difference.”

Last night, the group hosted its Kickstart event to launch its 2022 giving program.