How we created the Purple Boot Brigade

Amazing to look back and imagine it was only 2 years ago the Purple Boot Brigade became a reality after I was fortunate enough to meet the wonderful Board members of Steel Blue at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Being WA's Social Entrepreneur of the Year, I was introduced to the Steel Blue team and asked about women's work boots, then asked the question - "But will you make purple work boots for breast cancer?"

It was 24 hours later when Steel Blue's Marketing Manager, Vanessa Bradshaw, was on the phone working with me on a plan! A week later we showed off a pair of prototype purple boots at a fund-raising breakfast in Perth where the wonderful Alex and Fiona from Engineers Australia WA Division jumped up immediately to offer a hand.

Within just a few months, Engineering companies across WA had committed to supporting the Brigade and the project was launched at the '2007 - Year of Women in Engineering' celebrations in Perth.

We originally thought we might sell a few thousand pairs which I thought would be amazing! $30 from every pair sold would come to BCFWA to help with education programs for our youth. But it wasn't long before sales were already well above this level, and in just the first 12 months over $200,000 was raised from sales across Australia!

The project continues to grow and be a major passion in my life and I wear my boots proudly wherever I go! Family, friends and colleagues continue to support the Brigade. With the funds raised from across Australia we can now implement even bigger and better education campaigns for the whole community.

I encourage you all to be a part of the Brigade - even if you don't wear a pair of purple work boots - be a part of this great online community and help us spread the BE BREAST AWARE MESSAGE!

We know EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES!

Love to you all
Ros Worthington OAM
Founder & Patron of the Breast Cancer Foundation of WA Inc