Lifeview’s aged care residents and staff are making a positive impact on the Women’s Spirit Project after raising over $1,800 to help disadvantaged women in the community.
Residents and staff raised a total of $1,816.09 in June and July for the Women’s Spirit Project as part of Lifeview’s Paying It Forward initiative that supports various local charities.
Women’s Spirit Project Chairperson Kathy Heffernan said it was amazing to receive the funds, presented at a cheque handover by staff and residents at Lifeview Willow Wood in Cranbourne last week.
“And we are coming to Casey,” she added.
“We’ve got some funding from the State Government, and the City of Casey is on board too as well as the local primary health network which covers this region. We’re excited and these funds will certainly go towards that.”
The Lifeview Paying it Forward initiative takes place in all Lifeview homes, plus its corporate office, with different activities used to raise money for a charity or community cause in the local area.
In this instance, residents at Lifeview Argyle Court held an Olympics themed day to raise money while Lifeview Emerald Glades organised a lucky envelopes raffle.
Lifeview CEO Samantha Jewell said residents are embracing the initiative.
“The residents have supported local charities and causes and volunteered for their entire lives, why should that stop just because they’ve entered aged care? They tell us that they want to help and support causes wherever they can and we’re here to make that possible,” she added.
Lifeview Willow Wood Residential Manager Jess Bould nominated the Women’s Spirit Project for Paying It Forward after a chance encounter with the group while out for breakfast with her mother in Frankston.
“We saw a sea of women in turquoise t-shirts all coming back from a walk they’d been doing. We had a sticky-beak … picked up one of their brochures and had a read, and we thought it was really cool the work being done,” she said.
“More and more people are finding they have a connection to or are aware of someone who falls into one of the categories of either being vulnerable, at risk of homelessness or experiencing violence and the work being undertaken by the Women’s Spirit Project is extremely important.”
Established in 2018, Women’s Spirit Project aims to inspire and empower women experiencing disadvantage to transform their lives through fitness, health and wellbeing activities.
“Our main focus is fitness, so it’s about getting the women moving because there are a lot of studies that prove the relationship between fitness, health and wellbeing and mental health is really important,” Ms Heffernan said.
“Our cornerstone program, the Spirit of Transformation, runs over 10 weeks. We have 30 participants and up to 15 volunteer mentors. These women come and dedicate themselves once a week for 10 weeks to support these women through the program.”
