Today, we speak to Clare Pearson, the CEO of Little Wings. Little Wings is a volunteer-based not-for-profit organisation designed to provide free ground and air transport for seriously ill children. Established in 2012, and based in Bankstown, Cessnock and Archerfield airports, Little Wings has gone the distance to break health care barriers in rural and remote areas across NSW, ACT and QLD.
Thanks so much for speaking to us Clare. It’s been a few years since you joined Little Wings as CEO – just before the pandemic. Are you able to share more about your story and time at Little Wings so far?
With a background in psychology focused on child and adolescent welfare, my leadership journey has spanned senior roles in both Australia and the UK, where I developed impactful projects in child protection, early intervention, and education. In 2018, I authored Threads of Hope, sharing the stories of human trafficking survivors. Since becoming CEO of Little Wings in 2019, I’ve seen the organisation grow from 400 to 8,000 missions annually, driven by my belief that small acts can create huge change.
In FY2024, Little Wings travelled 250,000kms by road and 500,000kms by air to transport children to specialised care. As a mother, I deeply empathise with the struggles these families face, and I’m committed to easing their burden through the support of our community, ensuring that every child receives the care they deserve. At Little Wings, we believe that it’s the small acts of kindness and compassion that can spark monumental change. Every journey we make, every life we touch, is a reminder that together, we can reshape the future for children in need. As a mother, I understand the heartbreak families face, and it is this understanding that drives my commitment to lightening their burden and giving them hope.
How does the community support provided by a volunteer organisation like Little Wings play a pivotal role in this economically volatile and challenging climate?
Whilst most of the Australian population reside in major cities and metropolitan areas, around 28 percent of the population live in rural and remote regions. Evidence shows, individuals and families living within these regions experience higher rates of hospitalisation, death and injury due to an inherent lack of primary health care services.
Moreover, these higher rates often stem from intergenerational healthcare barriers that have evolved due to a lack of healthcare access over long periods of time. Due to this inaccessibility to vital health care, many cease searching for diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, and systematically, intergenerational healthcare trauma affects Indigenous families at increased levels as they continue to experience healthcare disparities.
Hence, Little Wings services exist to ease this burden by providing both access to lifesaving medical treatment and services and that extra layer of support. For example, physically walking families into the hospital to provide reassurance, helping navigate the hospital wards, and providing a forum for families to access early intervention measures.
Is there an example of a family whose lives have been greatly touched by the work of Little Wings?
Winnie Milson is eight years old and from Coonabarabran in NSW. She has been travelling with Little Wings since she was two years old after being born with a serious and lifelong digestive condition, and subsequently diseases that have seen her spend long periods of her life in hospital. Before being referred to Little Wings, her single mother Libby, had to take a second job and sell her furniture to fuel her car to make the long and repeated journey to Westmead Children’s Hospital, a roughly six-hour drive. By finding Little Wings, Libby’s financial burdens were able to be addressed, taking the stress of affording these strenuous trips from Coonabarabran to Westmead out of the equation. Little Wings is ready to provide the family with free, safe transport.
As you mention, there are various layers and approaches involved in providing high quality services and support to families. What challenges does the organisation face going into 2025?
With the cost-of-living crisis increasing, forcing everyday people to seek external support, Little Wings is endlessly working to continue to expand our reach. Fundraising is the toughest aspect of running a not-for-profit and small charities like Little Wings often get overlooked. Relying on monetary donations to sustain operations is scary and without them we would not be able to run our everyday missions’ expenses such as fuel and implementing programs effectively or sustainably.
Whilst Little Wings has soared higher in my time as CEO, the nature of not-for-profit work is that it is reliant on the generosity of the public. I am constantly thinking about the state of the Australian economy, and it is an ongoing concern, it is paramount that the communities and sponsors turn their attention to the people who are hit the hardest.
Top photo source: Supplied/Little Wings
