Devotion remains for Local Legend Matt
Surf Coast Shire Local Legend Matt Benson is loving seeing young mentors with lived experience volunteering alongside him with surfing charity Ocean Mind.
The therapeutic charity helps young people dealing with life challenges by using surfing as a vehicle for life learning. Many of the young people might be experiencing waves for the first time.
Matt’s devotion as an Ocean Mind volunteer saw him named as a Local Legend during 2024.
“I’m still volunteering with Ocean Mind and still witnessing some profound experiences,” he said.
“I’m also seeing previous mentees become mentors as they grow up, which is just awesome and such great testimony to what Ocean Mind is about.”
Matt said nomination as a Local Legend had been humbling, putting him alongside other nominees ‘doing amazing things and showing how incredible our community is.’
“It was also an opportunity to let people know about the great work of Ocean Mind and how rewarding it is to volunteer. I’ve had some great conversations with friends, and people I surf and work with,” he said.
Local Legends Award nominations
The Local Legends awards recognise individuals and groups making a positive difference in Surf Coast Shire as volunteers, change-makers, innovators, leaders and more.
The awards often celebrate unsung heroes, and nominations for the 2025 awards are open until 14 March.
This year’s awards introduce four categories for nominations:
- Community Commitment - individual award
- Community Impact awards - individual award
- Community Inclusion - group award
- Volunteer Excellence - group award
Find out more about the category criteria and nominate a Local Legend by visiting our Local Legends page, at our Civic Building at 1 Merrijig Drive Torquay, or phoning 5261 0600.