Bega Cheese executive chairman Barry Irvin understands first hand the needs of disability carers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Monday, February 15 Mr Irvin joined Tulgeen staff, clients and their families to officially open the organisation’s new Respite Service.
For Mr Irvin the opening was close to his own heart having grown up with a disabled sister, raising a son with autism, and initiating a school in Sydney for autistic children that he now chairs.
“When I grew up you quite often would find drab or depressing facilities,” the father of three said.
“It was an environment of care, but there was no such thing as activities.”
Mr Irvin said he understands the needs of families and carers, who at times require “a break and some space to breathe”.
“I admire people enormously who do this work,” he said.
Funding for the service was provided by Bega Cheese’s donation of $100,000, arising from the company’s annual corporate event to raise money to put back into the community.
The service was “soft-launched” in October 2015 and has already provided both home-based respite as well as respite inside the organisation’s space on Spindler St in Bega.
The Respite Service runs on a short-term and long-term basis and is available to anyone and runs on a 24 hours a day, seven days a week basis.
The on-site accommodation includes electric beds, a fully accessible bathroom for independent use or for supported personal care, climate control, televisions, a lounge room and a kitchen.
“We are not afraid of looking to the future with optimism,” Tulgeen Group CEO Pete Gorton said as he excitedly anticipates the introduction of the National Disibility Insurance Scheme to the Bega Valley in July this year.
“This opening is proof that Tulgeen is growing and becoming more diversified, we’re really pleased about that.
“Three years ago we had around 50 clients and we are well on the way to 70 now.
“Our new strategic plan over the next five years is to build that number to 100.”