Around 20 "Vintage Crusaders" donning bright orange vests took part in a walk to end gender-based violence, and were joined by members of Victoria Police, independent candidate for Monash Deb Leonard, family members, and BCH staff.
"Our residents are always keen to demonstrate a positive, proactive stance on social issues. The issue of gender-based violence is something that our women and residents agree is a really important cause," GPL Diversional Therapist Tash Stapleton said.
Nurse Unit Manager Clare Stinton said GPL residents are always keen to help and support the community as best they can, even though they're living in aged care.
On Monday morning residents of Bass Coast Health's residential aged care facility, Griffiths Point Lodge (GPL), took to the streets of San Remo to raise awareness for the rights of women and girls across the world to be free from violence and discrimination.
Around 20 "Vintage Crusaders" donning bright orange vests took part in the walk, and were joined by members of Victoria Police, independent candidate for Monash Deb Leonard, family members, and BCH staff.
GPL Diversional Therapist Tash Stapleton said the walk coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
"Our residents are always keen to demonstrate a positive, proactive stance on social issues. The issue of gender- based violence is something that our women and residents agree is a really important cause, and this is our way of contributing to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence," Tash said.
Nurse Unit Manager Clare Stinton said GPL residents are always keen to help and support the community as best they can, even though they're living in aged care.
"They were really keen to get on board and do the walk again this year, get some fundraising going, and just show they are part of the community and like to get out and about and do things," Claire said.
Deb Leonard, who is running as an independent candidate in the upcoming federal election, said she came to support the "wonderful" residents of GPL as gender-based violence is an issue "very close" to her heart.
"As a lawyer, I've worked a long time in family violence, helping people out with intervention orders and family law," Deb said.
"(Bass Coast) has one of the highest rates of family violence in Australia. And so when I was invited along to walk with the GPL residents, I thought it's such a good thing they're doing to raise awareness and get the message out there that gender-based violence is not okay."
Ninety-five-year-old Doroth Legg was one of the GPL residents who made their way down the San Remo footpath. Doroth said gender-based violence was an extremely important issue for GPL residents, and looked forward to some well-earned fish-and-chips for lunch when the group arrived at the Co-Op.
