Margot Robbie surprises Qld charity with award call
The charity learned of the award in a surprise video call from Robbie.
Homegrown Hollywood actress Margot Robbie has shared an international award with a Brisbane charity supporting people living with a disability.
Alongside Charlize Theron and Travis Scott, Robbie received the inaugural RAD IMPACT AWARD, which honours “cultural icons who inspire purpose”.
Award recipients select a charity to share the award with in order to fund a project that supports others and Robbie nominated Brisbane’s Youngcare.
The non-profit organisation supports young people with high care needs to live independently by providing accessible living spaces, equipment grants and home modifications.
Surprise video call with Robbie an ‘incredible experience’
Artist and advocate Emily Dash received the award from Robbie on behalf of Youngcare during a surprise Zoom call.
Ms Dash told ABC Radio Brisbane receiving the surprise award from Ms Robbie was an “incredible experience”.
“I just had no idea what was happening and it was a bit magical because you don’t expect to get a call from a superstar like Margot Robbie everyday, do you?” she said.
“It’s really lovely because what you see in the video is just pure joy, I think, from both of us so it was a really lovely interaction.
“What I really couldn’t get over was the generosity that she was able to give that award to Youngcare because it’s going to make a huge difference to those 15 young Aussies.”
The funding will support Youngcare’s grants program, which provides people with disabilities equipment, care and home modifications to continue living at home with loved ones or transition from living in institutions.
Grant ‘gave me the independence any young person needs’
Ms Dash was a recipient of one of Youngcare’s grants and now volunteers with the organisation.
“The grant that I received was able to give me an automatic door at the front of my house so I could leave in an emergency and that meant I was able to be left alone in my house for a while to give me that kind of independence and space that any young person needs,” Ms Dash said.
“The grant gave me a manual wheelchair – which is a bit less bulky and a bit more easier to navigate than an electrical wheelchair – which has opened up so many social opportunities for me.
“It means I can often get into venues that are not accessible to people in wheelchairs because my chair can just be lifted up a few steps if it’s the manual.”