Winter 2015

The Women of West Heidelberg’s 9th AnnualInternational Women’s Day CelebrationEach year International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated onMarch 8. It is a global day celebrating the economic, political andsocial achievements of women past, present and future. Friday the 6th of March marked The Women of West Heidelberg’s9th Annual IWD event, and their 4th consecutive year of raisingenough money to fund the event themselves. ‘Make It Happen’ is the 2015 IWD theme and The Women of WestHeidelberg’s event focussed on preventing violence againstwomen. The day saw 159 women, a mixture of local residents andprofessionals from the area gather together in conjunction withspecial guest speakers Aunty Fay Carter Yorta Yorta and Dja DjaWurrung Aboriginal Elder, Helen Riseborough CEO of Women’s

Health in the North, and Jenny Macklin Federal Member for JagaJaga to raise awareness on preventing violence against women.Board of Directors member Chris Deakin also joined the festivitiesto host the event.Women in attendance were given the opportunity to feedback toBCH on how we can better support women, how we can makeWest Heidelberg a more equal community for women, and whatit means to be a West Heidelberg woman.Keep an eye out for future Women of West Heidelberg events asthis fantastic local group lead community projects andcampaigns.

Welcome members to another Melbournewinter.

Our strategic planning process for 2015and beyond is well underway and I thankmembers for their active feedback, ideasand suggestions. We have had greatcontribution from a wide array ofcommunity members throughout theprocess which will have a strong impacton future directions.

The strongest feedback was howimportant a local service for local people isfor our community. Our challenge is toensure we continue to meet the needs ofour diverse community in a healthenvironment undergoing change andreview. The Board will finalise the plan inthe coming months.

BCH is looking forward to celebrating our40th birthday with the community laterthis year, remembering the journey fromour early days up to today. If you haveideas, stories or recollections pleasecontact us as we are planning to capturethis important history.

You will find throughout this edition anexample of the diversity of our work in thecommunity. The reports are an example ofour work focusing on prevention andwellness in the community, acknowledgingthat good health lives and breathes ineverything we do.

Jim PasinisChief Executive OfficerBanyule Community Health

From the CEO

Expressions of interestWe are looking for a passionate community member to represent the community on ourClient Services Sub Committee. This is a great opportunity to participate in overseeing andguiding Banyule Community Health.

If you are interested in joining, please contact Mick Geary on 9450 2000.

Jenny Mikakos, the State Minister for Youthand Family Affairs visited the BanyuleCommunity Health Men’s Shed last month toannounce growth to funding for new Men’sShed throughout Victoria. The Banyule Men’sShed was highlighted as a leading example ofa community led and supportive shed for men.The Minister personally thanked the men’sshed volunteer supervisors for their workundertaking daily operations and theirpersonal support to other shedders.The Banyule Men’s Shed is driven by a band ofcommitted volunteers who oversee the dailytasks and ensure a range of local men feelsupported and connected. The shed supportshundreds of men providing a safe and health

space for men to share and create. The skillsand knowledge of the men is currentlysupporting a number of small communityprojects.Jim Pasinis BCH CEO, who has watched thedevelopment and outcomes of the shed overthe past 8 years commented that “the shed isa fine example of locals finding and drivingtheir own vision of what a healthy and caringcommunity can look like, focusing on wellnessrather than illness”.

If anyone’s interested in getting involvedin the shed, please drop in or contact call 9450 2000.

Minister visits Banyule Men’s Shed

The back bone of our community

Volunteers who make an incredible contribution every day througha range of BCH programs were honoured at a celebration forVolunteer Week. BCH has over 70 volunteers who provide thatessential role in keeping our community connected and improvinghealth.

BCH volunteers can be found in a variety of roles that ensurecommunity members are supported and connected. At the event,BCH CEO Jim Pasinis commented on impact our volunteers have.“We shouldn’t underestimate the value that volunteers have on thehealth of our community. Volunteering saves the communitymoney, but more importantly provides some of the most telling and

important services in our local community. BCH is blessed withsome of the most dedicated people I have ever met.”

The Volunteer Week event was also an opportunity for volunteersacross a wide range of program areas to mingle and understand thecollective impact of their volunteering in our community. 3081Angels volunteer Suzanne Crellin commented “the celebration was agood reminder of the many positive things that happen in ourcommunity.”

Volunteers were presented with a gift as a token of appreciation fortheir efforts. The gift was made by our own Men’s Shed andsupported by Bulleen Art and Garden as well as the Buna ReserveCommunity Garden.

The Gambling’s Not a Game – SportingClubs Program aims to counter thegrowing culture of gambling in sport bysupporting clubs across Victoria to takea responsible approach to gambling.Managed by the Victorian Responsible

Gambling Foundation, the voluntary program is about raisingawareness of the risks of gambling and creating responsible andhealthy club environments.It’s about focusing on the love of the game, not the odds.

The program is designed to:• Help clubs preserve the essence of their sport by separating

gambling from sports

• Shift the focus back to the ‘love of the game’ not the odds• Minimise young people’s exposure to gambling activities and

advertising• Increase awareness of the risks associated with gambling• Provide education sessions about responsible gambling to clubs• Help prevent problem gambling and related harm• Raise awareness of Gambler’s Help services

For more information please contact Jenna on 9450 2080 orjenna.hepburn@bchs.org.au

Gambling’s Not a Game Sporting Clubs Program

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If undeliverable return to:Banyule Community Health21 Alamein Rd, West Heidelberg 3081

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Banyule Community Health21 Alamein Road 25 Grimshaw StreetWest Heidelberg GreensboroughTel: 9450 2000 Tel: 9433 5111

Web: www.bchs.org.au

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AUSTRALIA

What causes influenza?Seasonal influenza (flu) is caused by two types of-viruses inhumans (Influenza A and B).Symptoms take between 1 and 3 days after infection toappear and may include: tiredness; fever; chills; headache;cough; sneezing and runny nose; poor appetite; and muscleaches.

How does influenza spread?Seasonal influenza spreads easily and can sweep throughschools, nursing homes or businesses and towns. When aninfected person coughs, infected droplets get into the air andanother person can breathe them in and be exposed. Thevirus can also be spread by hands infected with the virus. Toprevent transmission, people should cover their mouth and

nose with a tissue when coughing, and wash their hands regularly.

PreventionInfluenza is a vaccine preventable disease, but vaccines need to be given each year, because the viruses arealways changing. Vaccination is especially important forpeople at higher risk of serious influenza complications, andfor people who live with or care for high risk individuals.

For further information, see your General Practitioner or ring the Information Line on 1800 671 811.Reference: www.immunisation.health.gov.au

Influenza

Have you had your Flu Vac?Call medical receptionon 9450 2000 to bookan appointment withyour GP.