The Bellarine Community Support Register

Imagine if you could go about your day knowing that someone had your back, just in case you lost your keys or had an unfortunate fall.

That’s the peace of mind offered by the Bellarine Community Support Register (BCSR).

The register is a confidential database of personal, property, medical and emergency contact information that is available to police in case of emergency.

It was set up in 2006 by a group of volunteers on the Bellarine led by by Ann Nichol after the media reported a Melbourne woman had been found deceased in her home after more than two years.

In 2022, BCSR celebrates 16 years of service and remains a 100 per cent volunteer-based organisation with 26 members, all of whom are police-checked.

The register itself holds information on more than 1,400 Bellarine residents representing all ages and abilities and operates from the Bellarine Police Station.

The service, which continues to evolve so as to maintain its relevance to the community, has four main parts:

Calls from volunteers to registrants who request them to check on the wellbeing of the resident and on occasions for a general chat. If a person does not answer the phone after three attempts on the same day, and next of kin is unavailable, Bellarine Police will undertake a welfare check to determine the health status of the registrant

An identification card with a unique number in case of a medical incident or accident where emergency contacts or other personal information are needed

A new keyring identification tag with the same unique number to return lost keys

A window sticker to inform visitors the property is registered with the Bellarine Police so that house access can easily be arranged through the police if required.

BCSR register co-ordinator Denise Hibbins said the service provided peace of mind and a sense of security and connectedness to registrants, family members and carers, neighbours and friends, and police.

For example, a handbag was stolen from one registrant and the contents strewn nearby, but the personal identification card was handed into police and the owner of the property was contacted immediately and had their goods returned.

“The (calls) mean a lot to me as I am alone. My family is a few hours away,” one registrant said.

“Although I have a call monitor, this service is local and it’s a great follow up when there has been an emergency. One day the police were sent to look for me as I’d forgotten to tell the register co-ordinator I’d be away. It showed the system works.”

The organisation, which relies on donations to support annual operating costs, invites permanent Bellarine residents and holiday home owners to join the Register in the coming months in the lead-up to the Christmas schools holidays.

Bellarine residents can register in one of three ways: request a form by emailing [email protected], head to bellarineregister.org.au/register or phone 5255 3968.

BCSR is also looking for a volunteer secretary to join the organisation.