By Carole Levy
Are you aware of a critical need in the community? The Community Bank branches of Altona, Laverton and Point Cook Business Centre will soon host forums to allow residents to raise their concerns.
Altona, Laverton Community Bank branches and Point Cook Business Centre ran their first community forum in 2011 and achieved outstanding results.
Designed to identify areas of need and possible projects in the communities, the inaugural forum canvassed attendees and Defib for Life was chosen as the first major project.
Chairperson Henry Da Silva says the program was established in memory of 19-year-old Stephen Buckman, who collapsed and died during football training.
“Sadly, this happens more than we would expect,” Mr Da Silva says. “In light of such tragic occurrences, our company believed the community would benefit from having greater access to a life-saving piece of equipment. Now there are defibrillators at local schools, community groups, sporting grounds, train and service stations and swimming pools.
“This has been our most successful project to date and now, with the latest round of community forums, we expect to discover new ways to assist our communities.
“We encourage everyone to come along and have a say.”
Altona, Laverton Community Bank branches and Point Cook Business Centre also support the L2P Program which helps 16 to 20-year-old learner drivers, who have no access to a vehicle or supervisor, attain the mandatory 120 hours driving practice needed to gain P plates.
Mr da Silva said: “Achieving 120 hours practice can be a big obstacle to young people getting their licence. The L2P Program aims to fix this by matching fully licensed volunteer mentors to young people with a current learner’s permit.”
For more details on L2P, call 0487 465 687 or email l2p@lcis.org.au.
“Another hugely successful and very welcome initiative of the bank, in partnership with Hobsons Bay City Council, was to introduce beach matting and adult beach-accessible wheelchairs so people with a disability can enjoy the beach under their own steam,” Mr da Silva said.
“Beach wheelchairs, free to hire, are at Altona Life Saving Club – close to accessible parking, toilets and a cafe.
“In the 2017-18 financial year, some 30 community members used the beach area by hiring a wheelchair and it couldn’t have been done without the support of Altona Village Traders Association, Bendigo Community Bank and Altona Rotary Club.”
COMMUNITY FORUMS:
• Altona RSL, 32 Sargood Street, Altona – 6.30pm on August 23
• Laverton P-12 College, 91 Bladin Street, Laverton – 6.30pm on September 5
• Jamieson Way Community Centre, 59 Jamieson Way, Point Cook – 6.30pm on
September 17
For further information, call Anne Randall on 0430 430 824.
