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- Caring for the children left behind: Australian of the Year Awards 2015
Kevin Robinson started flying to help sick children as a side project, while managing a business full time.
Today, his organisation Little Wings is a full-time job, with four volunteer pilots and two aircraft.
"The more success we had the more passionate we've become about it," Mr Robinson said.
"Demand always outstrips what you can provide."
Little Wings supports children who must travel, often long distances, to receive non-emergency medical treatment like radiotherapy.
The conditions children face are sometimes life threatening or terminal.
Initially, the charity aimed to do 30-40 flights per year in NSW. Now, they are looking at about 1,000 flights per year, and expanding into Victoria.
An unknown person has nominated Mr Robinson for the National Finalist Australia's Local Hero 2015 award, as part of the Australian of the Year Awards 2015.
While talking with SBS, Mr Robinson did not often use the word "I".
"We've got some big goals to achieve now."
Originally, Mr Robinson was the only pilot. These days he does no flying and spends his time raising funds.
He praised the volunteer pilots, who sometimes give up two-to-three days per week.
Each time pilots fly, they effectively give up their day to fly to locations in regional areas like Orange and Dubbo, or remote areas in far western NSW.
Although the organisation needs to increase pilot numbers to five or six, the biggest issue right now is support and funding, Mr Robinson said.
All of the money donated to Little Wings goes to charity work and aircraft maintenance, rather than administration and advertising costs, he said.
- SBS is running a series of articles highlighting Australians named as finalists in this year’s Australian of the Year Awards, and state categories.
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