Sponsorships

KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD SPONSORS $75,0000 for 
GILBRUK PLACE – Heathcote Dementia Village

In May 2021, Advance Heathcote Inc made a presentation to Kirkland Lake Gold’s (operators of Fosterville Gold Mine) Community Partnership Program on the proposed Bendigo Regional Dementia Village Project that will be located in Heathcote. The City of Greater Bendigo has been a strong supporter from the beginning and has provided invaluable advice and advocacy to the Project. Councillors and the Executive team encouraged us to approach Kirkland Lake Gold for support as they knew how much Kirkland was committed to supporting worthy projects in the Region.

The idea for the Dementia Village originated in the 2014-2017 Heathcote & District Community Plan and has been a community-led project, initially by Heathcote Health that auspiced work related to the proof of concept/feasibility study. In December 2019, Advance Heathcote Inc (AHInc) was requested to take over the Phase 2 Implementation, specifically to engage an aged operator to run the facility and an investor to invest $124m for the facility capital build. During 2021, the Dementia Project Working Group has been actively engaging with potential aged care operators and sourcing investment funds to make Gilbruk Place become a reality.

We were thrilled when Kirkland Lake Gold advised us in June they were providing $75,000 towards the Dementia Project working capital costs for progressing negotiations with operator/investor selection, the detailed planning phase and engagement of appropriate experts and advisors. Ion Hann, Vice President Operations Australia (Co-Lead) said: “Kirkland Lake Gold established the Community Partnership Program in 2020 with the specific aim to assist the regions in which we operate grow and flourish, particularly areas hit hardest by COVID-19. This Project embodies everything we aim to support – communities coming together to help each other. We believe this Project will be transformative for the entire Region and a new standard of care within Australia.”

We acknowledge Kirkland Lake Gold for their belief in our capacity to deliver this important Regional Project. This funding allows the Dementia Project Working Group to continue discussions with several aged care operators and financial investors. AHInc has also secured an option on the preferred block of land (adjacent to Heathcote Health) for the proposed GILBRUK Place Heathcote Dementia Village. 

Including Kirkland Lake Gold’s $75,000 grant, the Dementia Village Project has raised a total of $411,426 funds to get us to this critical point in achieving our community’s vision to build the world’s first bush- inspired Dementia Village in rural Australia.

Information:
Advance Heathcote Inc 
E: info@advanceheathcoe.com

Heathcote Dementia Alliance
E: heathcotedementia.alliance@gmail.com