2026 Citizen of the Year: Ben Duffy accepts his award.
A Pat Cronin Foundation violence-prevention presentation that struck a chord with a Melbourne schoolboy has inspired a fundraiser so extraordinary it has led to a Citizen of the Year award.
Years after learning about Pat’s story while in Year 12, Ben Duffy turned the messages he heard that day into action – running an epic 52 marathons in 52 weeks and raising almost $35,000 for the Foundation’s work to prevent violence.
The 21-year-old Park Orchards resident has been named Manningham’s 2026 Citizen of the Year, along with taking out the Young Achiever category at the Council’s annual Community Awards.
All up he covered 2200km – the prospect of which was, at first, both exciting and daunting.
“Before I started the 52 marathons, everyone basically told me I was insane but there was no harm in giving it a go,” said Ben.
Ben and Foundation director Matt Cronin.
Foundation director Matt Cronin, who delivered the presentation that inspired Ben, said he was delighted to see him gain such well-deserved community recognition.
“When Ben approached us with this idea for a fundraiser, my first thought was: ‘Who is this crazy person?’
“His commitment to helping the Foundation, after attending one of our presentations as a student, has been amazing.
“To see that experience inspire him to take on such an extraordinary challenge shows the impact our work is having on young people.
“Ben’s efforts have also created a remarkable ripple effect. The funds he raised have enabled us to deliver violence-prevention education to around 3,400 more young people this year.”
According to Ben: “The Foundation presentation that I heard back in school really captivated me and my friendship group.
“We had a big chat about it afterwards and from there it had always been in the back of my head as a charity that I felt really strongly about,” he said.
The awards judges said that Ben had “demonstrated extraordinary leadership, resilience and community spirit”.
Manningham Mayor Cr Jim Gravis, who hosted the ceremony, said: “As Mayor of Manningham, I’m proud we have such amazing individuals and community groups that help make Manningham a great place to live, work and visit.”
The finish line: Ben completes his 2200km mission.
