New name, same game

WHILE it has a new name, the goal is the same for Healthy Heart of Victoria: to improve health outcomes for residents in the Loddon Campaspe region.

Last Thursday the initiative was rebranded to Healthy Loddon Campaspe, launching its second stage with $6.6 million contributed by the State Government.

The money allows the six municipalities involved, the Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Loddon Macedon shires and the City of Greater Bendigo, to run more physical activity and healthy eating activations and advocate for more infrastructure.

Chair of the Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership, Dave Richardson, said the initiative has been growing for several years.

“Since the partnership first went to Government in 2018 to highlight the higher than Victorian state average rates of chronic disease, obesity and high-risk health behaviours seen in our region, the Healthy Loddon Campaspe initiative has worked in partnership with the local community to improve health outcomes,” he said.

“We’re delighted to also support the name change of the initiative from Healthy Heart of Victoria to Healthy Loddon Campaspe, to more strongly highlight the broad scope of the initiative in improving the health of our community.”

Stage one of Healthy Loddon Campaspe resulted in a regional Active Living Census, which received more than 25,500 responses, 11 new out fitness sites, 25 new water fountains, and healthy eating and cooking programs such as Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food and Cafe for a Day.

The second stage is expected to see the continuation of established programs, as well as new projects to be announced early next year.