MEDIARELEASE13January2014
HamptonParkmanhasnewsetofwheelsthankstogenerous
CommunityBankstaff
HamptonParkmanOlivierdeBaizewhoattendsYooralla’sDaySupportserviceinNoblePark,
recentlyreceivedanewwheelchair,thankstostaffatBendigoBank.
Olivier(Ollie)whois36hascerebralpalsyandquadriplegiaandrequiresawheelchairformobility.OvertimetheshapeofOllie’sspinehadchangedandhisbacknolongermatchedtheshapeofhispreviouswheelchair. Thusithadbecomeunsuitableandwascausinghimdiscomfort.Itwasalsoveryheavyanddifficultforhisparentsandcarerstopush.
TheBank’sCommunityEnterpriseFoundationteamputoutthecalltotheirstafftoraisemoneyforanewwheelchairforOllie.Awhiparoundresultedinstaffdonationsof$3159whichmadeuptheshortfallrequiredtomeetthe$12,960costofOllie’swheelchair.
TheremainingmoneycamefromacombinationoftheState-wideEquipmentProgram(SWEP)and
Olivier’sIndividualSupportPackage.
Ollie’smumMoniquesaysOlliehashadhisnewchairforseveralmonthsnowandithasmadea
hugedifferencetobothOllieandthepeoplewhosupporthim.
“Olivier’sbackhasbecomecurvedovertimeandthebackrestinthenewchairmouldstohisform,so
itismuchmorecomfortableforhimtositinforlongperiods,”saysMonique.
“Thenewchairismuchlighter,soitiseasierforus(hisparents)andhiscarerstomanoeuvre.Thebackandseathaveremovablecoverswhichmakeitmucheasiertocleanandthechairisnotaswideashisoldonewhichmakesiteasiertogetinandoutofplacessuchasthecar.”
“Italsoglowsinthedark,whichOllieloves,especiallywhenhegoestothelocaldiscoorafamily
party–it’squiteatalkingpoint,”continuesMonique.
CommunityEnterpriseFoundationCEOCallumWrightsaidwhenstaffheardthatOllie’sfamily
neededlessthan$4000topurchaseanewwheelchairhedesperatelyneeded,everyonepitchedintohelp.
“WestartedwithourBendigoheadofficebuilding,includingstaffatourtrusteecompany,SandhurstTrustees. PrettysoonwehaddonationscominginfromstaffinourMelbourne,AdelaideandQueenslandoffices.
“WewerepleasedtobeinvolvedinmakinglifealittlemorecomfortableforOllieandhisfamily,”
Callumsaid.
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