Funding wish granted for local charity

LOCAL family bereavement charity Wombat’s Wish would receive $260,000 of funding from a Coalition Government under a pledge from Bellarine candidate Donnie Grigau.

The funding commitment would be over four years and would provide certainty for the Drysdale-based service to continue expanding and help support dozens more children and families coping with the death of a parent.

Wombat’s Wish hosts residential camps, social days and counselling services free of charge for children and surviving parents/carers to help them manage their loss and grief.

It is based on the UK charity Winston’s Wish and has recently expanded to become a state-wide service after beginning in the Geelong region.

Torquay psychologist Jill Crookes founded Wombat’s Wish at Geelong in 2007, following the death of her husband on a cricket field in 1991.

She said she was extremely grateful for the funding commitment, which she said would ensure the long-term viability of the charity if secured.

“We went through many perilous periods where we looked like we’d run out of money or run out of people. Now it’s robust and strong,” she said.

“This will provide us with certainty, it’s so wonderful. I feel so excited, pleased and delighted that this is going to outlive me, and hopefully outlive my children. It’s just fantastic.”

The organisation expects the additional funding to support a further two camps each year for 25 children each.

With 1 in 20 Australian children experiencing the death of at least one parent by the age of 18, Wombat’s Wish manager Nicki Dunne said the further support would help the charity expand its services to help more bereaved families.

“We’re now offering 11 camps a year up from two, and we’re still not meeting demand.

“We survive purely on grants and one-off foundations. It’s a lot of fundraising.

“It takes so much pressure off us to know we’ve got at least two camps a year, plus some other guaranteed funding, and we can just support so many more kids.”

Mr Grigau said the funding was “a hand up, not a hand out”, and said the cash would allow Wombat’s Wish to continue providing “vital assistance to our most vulnerable Victorians”.

“Wombat’s Wish relies on donations and grants. A worthy organisation like this needs to be providing more psychological support, not worrying about funding for its invaluable work,” he said.

“Death in the family is an extremely difficult time for children and can potentially result in long-term emotional health problems.

“That’s why I am pleased to announce that if a Liberals and Nationals Government is elected, we will provide $260,000 to Wombat’s Wish over the next four years.”