Village named after respected First Nations activist

RYMAN Healthcare has revealed its new retirement village based in Ocean Grove will be named after Yorta Yorta singer, composer and educator Deborah Cheetham AO.

The announcement was made in front of more than 120 people, Ms Cheetham being one of them, at The Dunes restaurant in the coastal town with representatives from Ryman in tow.

Ms Cheetham, who is a member of the Stolen Generations and the LGBTQI community, remains a leading figure amongst the First Nations people as well as a prominent fighter and speaker against all forms of discrimination.

“In my conversations with Ryman I discovered a level of understanding, a duty of care to its residents and a welcoming heart,” Ms Cheetham said.

“Ryman are pouring their understanding of Country and their willingness to learn further into the bricks and mortar of their establishment.

“I’m so incredibly proud to be associated with them in this way.”

The Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village originally opened at the end of last year, with seniors moving in immediately.

But with NAIDOC Week in full swing, it was fitting for the village to make the naming announcement last week.

“Today is about acknowledging one outstanding Australian in her own right – a once-in-a-generation talent and a national treasure – but we hope in some small way it will also be about healing,” Ryman’s Victorian sales and community relations manager Debra Richardson said.

Founded in Christchurch, Ryman Healthcare owns and operates 41 retirement villages in both New Zealand and Australia housing approximately 11,700 residents and has been naming their villages for more than 35 years.

“First and foremost, this tradition is about honouring the contribution of that person and doing what we can to help preserve their legacy,” Ms Richardson said.

“But it’s also about creating a unique identity for that village. The village community becomes coloured by their character and imbued with the values that set that person apart.”

In addition to the announcement itself, proceedings included performances by the Dhungala Children’s Choir, which was formed by Ms Cheetham back in 2009.

According to Ryman Healthcare, the village in Ocean Grove will host numerous amenities such as a gym, bowling green, hair and beauty salon, chapel, cinema, bar, cafe and indoor swimming pool once construction is completed, housing 280 people by that stage.

It will also feature villas, assisted living in-serviced apartments and an aged care centre.