Iconic mowerman Claude Harvey tours WA to protect Aussie kids

AUSTRALIA’S favourite ‘mowerman’ Claude Harvey is on his first fundraising adventure in Western Australia where he will attempt to mow down a $1 million fundraising milestone to help protect Aussie kids.

Claude’s mighty mowerthon will generate much-needed funds and awareness to help Bravehearts educate, empower and protect Aussie kids from child sexual assault.

The 70-year-old Queensland grandfather, identified by his unmissable coin-collecting mower which has clocked 20,000 kilometres, has raised more than $830,000 for the child protection organisation over the past decade.

His 26-day ‘Brave Hearts of the West’ mowerthon kicks-off in Fremantle on April 28 and he’ll travel almost 2000 kilometres as far east as Kalgoorlie and Norsman before heading south to Esperance and culminating on the west coast town of Margaret River on May 24.

Claude says he’s looking forward to taking Bravehearts child protection messages through Western Australia for the first time.

“Protecting kids is something very close to my heart,” he says.

“I knew two little kids, four and five, who were sexually assaulted by their neighbour and it absolutely ripped my heart out.

“I had to do something about it, so I started pushing my lawnmower so the world would take notice of me and I can draw attention to what is going on in this country.”

Currently one in five Aussie kids will be sexually harmed before their 18th birthday. Claude wants to change this by helping Bravehearts to make Australia the safest place in the world to raise a child by supporting its education and prevention program in schools.

“Every child should be given the opportunity to be educated with important personal safety knowledge and skills to keep safe,” says Claude.

“I’ve seen Bravehearts’ education show ‘Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure’ visit my grandson’s school but every Aussie child in every school in every town has the right to benefit from this program.

“I’m looking forward to meeting locals along my trip through Western Australia and hope people will support me and play their part in making their communities safer for kids.”

Follow Claude’s journey at www.facebook.com/ClaudeTheMowerMan and help him mow down the $1 million fundraising milestone at bit.ly/1MTWDl9.

Mowerthon dates: 

Fremantle – Thursday, April 28
Northam – Saturday, April 30
Cunderdin, Kellerberrin – Sunday, May 1
Merredin – Monday, May 2
Southern Cross, Coolgardie, Tuesday, May 3
Kalgoorlie – Wednesday, May 4
Kambalda West, Norseman – Friday, May 6
Esperance, Saturday, May 7
Ravensthorpe, Jerramungup – Sunday, May 8
Albany – Monday, May 9
Mt Barker – Wednesday, May 11
Denmark – Thursday, May 12
Walpole, Manjimup – Friday, May 13
Bridgetown – Saturday, May 14
Donnybrook, Bunbury – Sunday, May 15
Dalyellup, Capel, Busselton – Wednesday, May 19
Dunsborough – Friday, May 20
Margaret River – Saturday, May 21