Letters To The Editor – July 19, 2018

Lions has a commitment to affordable aged accommodation

Dear Editor,

Diane Roberts, in her letter (“More needs to be done to help elderly renters”, Letters, June 28) regarding aged accommodation, confuses an initiative of the Lions Club of Ocean Grove/Barwon Heads with Lions Village Bellarine in Portarlington, which has been providing affordable living for pensioners for some 45 years.

Under its highly worthy project, OG/BH Lions are raising community support funds by building and selling two homes in Ocean Grove.

Then in her grudging reference to Lions “at least doing something” for aged accommodation, Ms Roberts apparently refers to Lions Village Bellarine (a completely separate entity) and bemoans the fact that units in the village “cost” $25,000.

The situation is that Lions Village Bellarine provides 23 self-contained units for pensioners who are capable of independent living.

The maximum ingoing charge is $30,000 and rent is currently set at 22 per cent of the aged pension per person per fortnight. While not everybody may be able to meet this criteria, it compares most favourably with fees charged by other establishments.

Lions Village Bellarine has a proud record of community service and maintains its commitment to providing affordable aged accommodation for pensioners on the north Bellarine.

Roger Sanders
Secretary, Lions Village Bellarine

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National Pain Week provides an outlet

Dear Editor,

Chronic pain – pain that doesn’t go away after the injury or illness has resolved and lasts at least three months – is a significant health issue in Australia, with around one in five people of all ages living with this invisible illness. Figures are even more alarming for our older population, with one in three people over 65 years living with chronic pain.

A recent survey conducted by Chronic Pain Australia, the national voice of people living with chronic pain, highlighted that people in pain feel unsupported and unheard by the government and health professionals, and face negative attitudes and stigma on all fronts. We want to help change this.

National Pain Week (July 23-29) is an annual initiative of Chronic Pain Australia, which aims to destigmatise the experiences of people living with chronic pain and provide an outlet to share their stories and experiences with the wider community.

This year’s theme – “Nothing about us without us” – is focused on ensuring people living with chronic pain have a voice and can be heard in any public discussions or health policy development that affects their lives.

During National Pain Week, the results of the National Pain Survey will be available online (nationalpainweek.org.au) and I’d like to encourage people living with chronic pain to share their own experiences and ideas on the Chronic Pain Forum (chronicpainaustralia.org.au/forum) or on social media using the hashtags #NPW2018, #nationalpainweek, #bebold, and #nothingaboutuswithoutus.

We appreciate your support.

Dr Coralie Wales
President, Chronic Pain Australia

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Bendigo Bank’s Bellarine commitment

Dear Editor,

As the new managing director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, I want to restate my personal commitment to the Bellarine community and our customers.

I was born and raised in regional Australia and feel most at home when in my community. It is from direct experience that I understand the great things regional communities do for Australia.

Regional Australia is our Bank’s heartland and putting the interests of our customers first is central to our strategy, and to the success of every stakeholder engaged with our business.

We’re proud to be the only bank headquartered outside of an Australian capital city. This year, we celebrate 20 years since the opening of the first Community Bank branch and in that time, we have returned over $200 million in profits to communities through our unique banking model.

Last year, Community Bank branches employed more than 1,500 people, enabled over $100 million in wages and services to be spent locally, and returned more than $5.5 million in shareholder dividends.

I am proud that through our local Community Banks, Connected Communities and local Corporate Branches, we have supported many important initiatives in the Geelong and Bellarine region, such as the Barwon Health Foundation Kids Appeal. Last year, we provided the first official donation of $15,000 to the appeal and our contribution to the Foundation’s $3.6 million target is now more than $150,000.

I will ensure we continue to support the amazing individuals that live, work and play in regional Australia: the backbone of our nation.

Marnie Baker
Managing Director, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank