Lifeview Paying it Forward to Women's Spirit Project

The latest fundraising effort by Lifeview aged care residents and staff will help disadvantaged women in the community.

Residents and staff raised money throughout June and July for the Women’s Spirit Project as part of Lifeview’s Paying It Forward initiative, designed to support local charities.

“Amazing,” Women’s Spirit Project Chairperson Kathy Heffernan elatedly said of the $1816.09 donation during the cheque handover 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.”

Lifeview Paying It Forward sees residents and staff in all Lifeview homes, and the corporate office, determine novel ways to raise money for a different nominated charity or community cause in areas local to Lifeview.

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,” Kathy 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.”

Mel Flores, Project Coordinator, has a long-established personal connection to the Women’s Spirit Project.

“I was a participant in the pilot program back in 2018 … and since completing the program I am four years sober from addiction, I have completed a Diploma of Community Services, I’m currently studying a Certificate 4 in training and assessment, and I work for the Women’s Spirit Project,” she said.

Mel said her background involved “domestic violence, mental health and homelessness”.

She says she enjoys “giving back” through involvement with the Women’s Spirit Project.

“I get to give back to the women because I understand the struggles, how hard it is and how overwhelming it can be when you feel at the lowest point your life,” she said.

“I do a session on community resources because I didn’t know about community resources until I broke both of my legs … we don’t know what’s out there until you’re involved in it, so I’m able to give those resources to the women who come into the program.

“I love Women’s Spirit Project. I know the transformation it did for me, and I know what it does for the women we’ve had come in.”

Residents at Lifeview are embracing the fundraising for a great cause.

Lifeview CEO Samantha Jewell explains:

“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.”

Willow Wood resident Jenny said it was “so wonderful to raise so much money”, adding “it’s important to help where we can”.

Find out more about the Women's Spirit Project