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Where There’s A Will inspired by Will Clarke
Where There’s A Will is a Charity established in Australia with a clear mission that every single person living with an intellectual disability in every community in Australia will be fully included in their community and acknowledged as integral members with a real sense of purpose.
People with intellectual and physical disabilities constitute a group at risk of exclusion. They are often denied the opportunities of full participation in the activities of their communities which they are part of simply because they are different and cannot interact seamlessly.
With 24 lived years, Willo uses a very successful and unique model of art and cricket and inspires artists to paint refurbished cricket bats. Through the originality of the Willo Cricket Bat exhibitions communities are connected, educated and empowered to strengthen their capacity to be truly inclusive and to show the potential of human beings when we embrace each other for who we are.
Where There’s A Will raises funds through the sale of the cricket bats and these funds are used in conjunction with philanthropic funding. Each community has the ability to utilise these funds to identify and create the best project that will deliver the mission of Willo and to achieve long-term and sustainable services for people living with intellectual disabilities.
Willo is not a special program and not something that is done in isolation to communities. Willo is community owned, driven and managed. Willo creates communities with a unity of purpose.
In 2021 two new initiatives to support the Community Exhibitions will be shared. The Last Over with cricket clubs across Australia and the G’day initiative with every person that comes into contact with our children, our friends and our neighbours to say g’day.
A Current Affair
“The Last Over” 5th December 2021
Paive io
“People Inspiring People” October 2019
Meet Will Clarke
Will is 24 years old and has played and loved sport his whole life. Will lives under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder which means he cannot read or write and finds conversational communication challenging. His fine and gross motor skills are affected which means he cannot regulate his shower, do the most basic daily tasks and requires assistance with certain aspects of his daily life.
He is anxious when their is uncertainty and fiercley independent. He is 6’4, has a younger sister Phoebe, devoted parents, a family who accept him exactly the way he is and have witnessed him face significant challenges and a severe lack of choice.
Will has captained his school, selected as sports person of the year numerous times, rides a horse, competes in 3rd grade cricket in Robertson NSW, competed in the Willo 25km mountain biking race, played an african drum, worked as a labourer, has performed in the SING music concert, and now …refurbishes cricket bats and is the inspiration of a thriving new Charity, Where There’s a Will, which has an international following.
People often talk about Willo as a young man with a presence. He is engaging, loves to participate, has no ego or judgement and loves to hug. You naturally gravitate to his smile, his integrity and love of life.
How to be a Willo Artist
Creating a piece of artwork on a cricket bat is open to anyone who would like to work with Willo. There are no rules or restrictions and the bat will be supplied by Willo ready to paint.
You don’t need to be an artist… you simply need to want to be involved and have an interest in making a difference.
You may know someone who would love to paint, either way let us know and we will send you a bat meticulously refurbished by our team throughout Australia.
Please contact us to register your interest.
How to be a Willo Community
Willo is now working across Australia to unite communities and raise more awareness around intellectual disabilities and inclusion.
The Willo Community is a collection of artists within a community who want to support the cause. Each artist is given a bat refurbished by Willo and his team. They have the option to paint or create some artwork and the bat is put into an Exhibition conducted in the community.
There is an organiser who we liaise with and they are the contact point to communicate and help organise the exhibition. If you would like to be a Willo Community please contact us.
How to send us your bats
We source the second hand bats from schools, cricket clubs, privately and through communities.
We have a drop off station at the International Cricket Hall of Fame in Bowral, and bats can also be picked up anywhere throughout Australia.
Any old bats will be welcomed and bats that have been left in sheds and unused or potentially to be thrown out will be recycled and given a beautiful new purpose and home.
If you would like to send us a bat directly please contact us.
WILLO MOMENTS
A Man of Influence
On the 18th January 2021 Will was listed in the 20 Most...
Inclusion
When our story went to air on the 5th December this year...
Simon Bouda and ACA
We have been sharing Wills Last Over at cricket on...
Robertson Community Garden
The Robertson Community Garden project was first tabled as...
The Australian Navy takes Willo to the Middle East
We met Commodore Chris Smallhorn and his wife Kerina from...
Willo goes to London House
Our amazing exhibition, Warooka Bats for Will, brought...
Bunbury is Batting for Will in 2021 💚
Willo is happily and very gratefully announcing ... we have our first community for 2021 💚
Leah @randyresin is leading our team from Bunbury in WA and we hope to inspire influence and create from Bunbury to Albany and everywhere in between. Through our Cricket Bat Exhibition we will connect and create more meaningful relationships with our children and families, our friends and neighbours who live with intellectual challenges.
Welcome Leah and all of your communities to the Willo family of inclusion. We will see you soon 💚
Exhibition #9
#iknowwill #bunburybatsforwill
#inclusion @thebeachfarmonyorkes @geoffwoodham @paulfhannigan
A privilege to spend the weekend planning with our Chairman. Very grateful Paul to have your calm, your leadership, guidance and integrity.
Our Charity is heading into 2021 with a greater sense of purpose, determination and clarity.
Where There’s a Will
#iknowwill #thelastover
#bradmanbatsforwill #melbournebatsforwill #kiamabatsforwill #timbermillbatsforwill #perthbatsforwill #warookabatsforwill #robbopubbatsfowill #rainbowbatsforwill @paulfhannigan @ange_moments @geoffwoodham @thebeachfarmonyorkes @simonbouda
Hello Hawaii 💚🌸
Willo has its first cricket bat artist from Hawaii. It’s a snapshot of the start of this creation with a wood dye test and we can’t wait to see it completed!!
Thanks to our brilliant refurbishing team at Woodbine in Warracknabeal, Victoria for preparing and sending and to Shaun @shawnardoinart for becoming part of our worldwide team of artists.
Our Charity, our artists and our partners are committed to influencing a change in the way we see those who live with intellectual challenges.
One cricket bat at a time
One person at a time
One community at a time
.
.
#iknowwill #thelastover #inclusion
@hawaiimagazine @mauihi @visit.hawaii @tourismhawaii @randyresin
Yesterday we received this cricket bat. It’s 85 years old.
We felt so incredibly honoured to be holding this and as the story we read unfolded the tears expressed what my heart felt.
It’s a story of love and a relationship of a father and his son and the game that created memories that we now, have the privilege to hold.
We accepted this beautiful memory from this family and I hope they know it will be treasured and be a constant reminder of how the game we love opened a life that has changed us for the better.
@simonbouda @benquilty @geoffwoodham @paul_millward29 @paulfhannigan @thebeachfarmonyorkes
On the 18th January 2021 Will was listed in the 20 Most Influential People in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia.
Of 47,882 people .. this boy makes the top 20.
I have known this for a very long time that he has the ability to connect and change peoples lives. It made my heart burst with pride to know that Will has achieved this recognition and the most beautiful part ..... he has no intention to influence. He is simply being Will.
Will has essential qualities that seamlessly connect with others. Those qualities are kindness, love, a lack of ego, wholeheartedness, resilience and persistence. There is truth in his behaviour and a genuine spirit, He is gentle and authentic. He doesn’t judge .. he uses his intuition, the heart.
He keeps getting up even with so many moments where doors have been closed and where he has encountered exclusion .. he keeps going. When he was not invited to the countless parties or events as a young child .. he kept being hopeful. When he is the 12th man and waits 80 overs every weekend in the summer … for a single bowl .. be does it with such passion and joy. He waits his turn, he hugs without return of favour, he fits in and shows an incredible depth of selflessness.
He is influential because he behaves in a way that we all admire and watch, but often times cannot be. He lives life by example and inadvertantly reminds people to be more understanding and caring. He shows people that he can .. because he has to .. live with so few choices. He silently and quietly hopes we will all sacrifice something, be more patient, give more of our time so that someone less able or more vulnerable can have more choice .. which they so desperately need.
He is showing what community could look like if we all stopped to take notice and be more present.
Will is influential because he is making a difference to people lives.... to communities.. to this country. His family, his friends, his team mates, to strangers and now the world that has come to see his face as the inspiration behind Where There’s a Will.
Where There’s A Will Ltd
ABN 14 634 182 497
Registered Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR)
44 May Street
Robertson NSW 2578
P: +61 2 427 110 968
E: hello@wheretheresawill.org.au