First employee marks milestone for Bellarine volunteer group

A GRANT from the Wicking Trust has allowed Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine (CHoB) to hire its first employee.

Queenscliff local Annie Chatham has been appointed the role of volunteer co-ordinator, a position that up until now was up to the volunteers themselves.

Ms Chatham will take over the role from recent co-ordinators Marita Scott and Barb Douglas, who have linked volunteers to clients and ensured they are well supported.

CHoB chair Pauline Nunan said the appointment was a seminal moment for the development of the group.

“Our organisation began with a grass roots community group of committed people who have trained volunteers and become a recognised charity supporting people who wish to remain in their homes with life-limiting illness, a time of great stress and challenges.

“I am so thankful to the Wicking Trust and proud that CHoB has reached this milestone so that we can rely on the professional expertise of Annie to take us into the future.”

CHoB began in 2019, with volunteers providing emotional and social support for people facing serious illness and death.

As part of Ms Chatham’s role, she will be the linchpin between the volunteers and clients.

“She is in contact with people that want to be part of our program who are sick and dying and are looking for some support,” Ms Nunan said.

“She visits them and meets with them after they’ve been referred to us by the palliative care team and then she will match a volunteer with them.”

Ms Chatham comes from a similar background, stemming from her work at Barwon Health.

The role of volunteer co-ordinator is an important one, with Ms Nunan saying it holds the whole organisation together.

“We’ve been incredibly lucky to have people volunteering to do it, but it makes it a more professional situation.

“We can properly remunerate the person for the amount of work they do, because it is an important role.

“To be able to pay someone and not just rely on the goodwill of our volunteer persons, it takes us a step into the future.”

CHoB thanked the volunteers who have previously stepped into the role.