Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced everyone must wear a face mask when out in public in regional Victoria from midnight on Sunday, August 2.
Anyone not wearing a face mask in public can be fined.
Mr Andrews said the move was designed to 'jealously guard' the low transmission rate in regional Victoria.
Free face masks for 'vulnerable' from DHHS
The Department of Health and Human Services is giving two free reusable face masks to 'vulnerable' residents in Victoria.
BCHS is a distribution point but the reusable face masks have not arrived yet so we are unable to hand them out sorry. We will let you know when they arrive.
We do have free disposable face masks for the vulnerable at our Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat sites with a limit of five per person in pre-packaged bags for your safety.
To see if you are eligible for the free face masks click here
To watch the video and see where to get tested in Bendigo please click the 'read more' button. Thank you.
The annual Run For Dad at Bendigo Racecourse on Father’s Day has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Organising committee spokesperson Keith Macdonald said ongoing uncertainty around the Coronavirus pandemic had left no choice but to cancel the popular September event for 2020.
The Bendigo Run For Dad raises community awareness about men’s health with proceeds supporting the Men's Health Clinic at Bendigo Community Health Services and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
“We have held out as long as we could on making a decision about the Run For Dad but it’s become clear the ever changing landscape around the Coronavirus pandemic has meant we had to make a call,” Mr Macdonald said.
“Regional Victoria has done a great job in keeping the Coronavirus at bay but as we’ve seen in Melbourne in recent weeks this can change very quickly so we thought the best thing to do was take a break this year.
“We will continue to raise community awareness about the importance of men’s health while we wait for 2021 to roll around and we’ll bring the Run For Dad back in whatever format the ‘new normal’ allows.
“Until then we encourage everyone in the community to follow the Coronavirus rules to ensure you, your family and our community stay safe and well.”
Bendigo Community Health Services Nurse Practitioner Peter Strange said the organisation fully supported the decision to cancel the Run For Dad this year.
“Communities must focus on getting rid of this Coronavirus to keep everyone safe and well,” Mr Strange said.
Bendigo Community Health Services has launched a free Coronavirus telephone hotline to further support the Karen community in Bendigo.
Karen speaking guides and case workers from the BCHS Settlement Services team will run the free Coronavirus Hotline Monday to Friday from 1pm to 4.30pm.
People can call 5406 1254 or call/send a text message to 0437 418 984.
If you are on a pre-paid mobile phone plan it's okay, we will ring you straight back.
BCHS Community Engagement manager Rod Case said the hotline initiative was in response to a rise in Coronavirus concerns and questions from the Karen community and the need to ensure important information was fully understood.
The hotline further enhanced the #BendigoTogether campaign launched with Believe In Bendigo to support the Karen community after reports of Coronavirus abuse and taunts.
"Our Settlement Services team is seeing an increase in concern and questions from the Karen community around the Coronavirus," Mr Case said.
"The Coronavirus hotline will take on a Karen focus because there are now more than 3000 members of that community in Bendigo but BCHS is providing support to Dari and Dinka speaking refugees too through our online Coronavirus Bendigo Refugee Resource Hub.
"The resource hub on our www.bchs.com.au website has now had more than 5200 visits. We launched this hub back in early March when we first saw a real need for Coronavirus information to support the refugee communities and now there's 15 information sheets and 20 videos translated into Karen, Dari and Dinka language available.
"The response has been amazing reaching more than 72,000 people on social media with 14,670 views of the videos and 2262 downloads of information sheets. It's clear this hub is having an impact in helping stop the spread of Coronavirus but while we have been really pleased with the support for the hub, the message from the refugee communities is clear they want someone to talk with about their concerns and questions too and that's why we're launching this free Coronavirus hotline.
"When people ring the hotline there will be a familiar voice on the other end of the line providing the right answers and information to put their minds at ease around Coronavirus and how to keep their families safe. If you have a pre-paid phone plan and are worried about the cost it's okay - we will ring you straight back to help you out."
To download an information sheet showing our refugee journey in providing Coronavirus support pdf
click here
(233 KB)
We just wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful support around our work to help refugee communities during this Coronavirus pandemic.
We had a look back at what we've achieved so far and gathered some statistics. This is what we found ...
Our work started with community consultation way back in March when this whole dreadful Coronavirus episode began and we saw a need to get information to refugee residents.
Our first translated information sheets and videos were created not long after and then we established an online Coronavirus Bendigo Refugee Resource Hub for easy access. Check it out: https://bit.ly/CoronavirusRefugees
The online resource hub has logged 4202 individual visits.
We've since made 15 information sheets in language as the Coronavirus landscape changes in Victoria which have been downloaded 2262 times from the resource hub.
We've made 20 videos now watched 14,670 times.
We've promoted our work to the community through social media with the Facebook posts alone reaching 72,753 people.
Our staff have been calling refugee clients daily since March to check on their welfare and see if they have any questions.
We've launched a 5406 1254 Coronavirus Telephone Hotline for the Karen community with our Karen speaking staff taking the calls to provide a familiar and trusted voice.
Bendigo Community Health Services is using a Smiles 4 Miles initiative to battle alarming rates of tooth decay in children from ‘high risk’ areas across the City of Greater Bendigo.
BCHS Smiles 4 Miles co-ordinator Leah Wastell said three simple messages were used to educate children on oral health and tooth decay – drink well, eat well, clean well.
“We promote drinking tap water and limiting sugary drinks, eating nutritious food and limiting added sugars and brushing teeth twice a day,” Leah said.
“Smiles 4 Miles also raises awareness that it’s important children visit a health professional by the age of two for an oral health check.”
Leah wants parents and carers to understand good oral health was essential for the overall health and wellbeing of children.
“Oral diseases like tooth decay can cause a lot of pain and discomfort which impacts heavily on a child’s quality of life," Leah said.
“Research shows around 50 per cent of six-year old children in Australia experience tooth decay. The message we need to get out is that with the right care we can stop this happening.”
The kindness, support and goodwill shown by you the Bendigo community to our staff during these Coronavirus times has been heartwarming and inspiring.
Our staff have been amazing as they turn up on site each day or work from home to continue delivering 'essential services' to care for the health and wellbeing of the community.
It's what they do so well.
It's what they love.
But it's been tough going at times and we just need you to know it's your support that keeps us all going.
So we put together this little video to say 'Thank you Bendigo!'
It's so appreciated.
Watch the video by clicking on the read 'more button' below.
Our Health Promotion and Women's Health Clinic staff have been busy making videos for a Your Body, Your Life series to give you an indepth look at important issues.
Questions: Find out how you can ask our Women's Health Clinic team any questions you mighthave around women's health at the bottom of this post.
The Your Body, Your Life series will feature:
Sunday night - September 6
A history of women's health at BCHS: Dedicated to improving access to services.
Take a look back at how the hard work and dedication of our women's health staff has improved access to services and affordability for women in Greater Bendigo and beyond.
Monday - September 7
Morning: Contraception and women's reproductive health - We're here to help (Part 1).
Our sexual health nurse Mary-Anne talks about short term contraception options and their success rates.
Afternoon: Contraception and women's reproductive health - We're here to help (Part 2).
Our sexual health nurse Mary-Anne talks about longer term contraception options and their success rates and emergency contraception.
Tuesday - September 8
Morning: Puberty - There is hair now there!
Our Health Promotion team member Siobhan talks puberty, the changes girls will see in their bodies and why these are happening.
Afternoon: Consent - Thinking about sex?
Our Women's Health Clinic nurse practitioner Louise explains sexual consent and why this matters.
Wednesday - September 9
Morning: Sexually transmissible infection (STIs) -You CAN ask that.
Our Women's Health Clinic nurse Rebekah and Health Promotion worker Siobhan talk STIs and the importance of getting tested.
Afternoon: Cancer screening for women -When was your last check?
Our Women's Health Clinic nurse Rebekah talks about cervical, breast and bowel cancers and the importance of a regular check up.
Thursday - September 10
Morning: Healthy mind and healthy living - Don't let that 'Inner Witch' rule your life.
Our Women's Health Clinic nurse Mary-Anne talks about the need for you to feel good about yourself.
Keeping a healthy mind is important and there's things you can do around self-care to make a difference.
That includes keeping your 'Inner Voice' in check so you can keep that 'Inner Witch'in her place!
Afternoon: Women's health for all genders - Featuring special guest Andie telling their story. (LGBTQIA+)
We are truly thankful to Headspace Bendigo HEY Diversity Worker Maree and special guest Andie for this valuable insight into the healthcare needs of all genders with a focus on important reminders such as the need for self care, finding the right GP, exercise and regular STI testing.
Friday - September 11
Morning: Menopause: The big M for women.
Doctor Poornima from our Women's Health Clinic runs through what menopause is, the symptoms you might experience, what you can expect through this change and the possible treatments that might help.
Afternoon: Women's health for the LGBTIQ+ community
Claudia from Thorne Harbour Country makes a guest appearance in our Your Body, Your Life series to talk about some important women's health issues that the LGBTIQ+ community must consider including watching alcohol consumption and staying on top of cervix testing.
We will premiere a new video from the Your Body, Your Life series each day of Women's Health Week via this post and our social media platforms so stay tuned!
This will work in well with the Jean Hailes for Women's Health Week themes for each day:
Monday: Gynological issues explained.
Tuesday: The heart.
Wednesday: Guts, bladder and bowel.
Thursday: Mental health.
Friday: Financial health (a new theme this year).
Question and answer sessions with our staff
Watching these videos is probably going to raise questions for you.
The good news is our Women's Health Clinic staff will be available to answer them via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. between 3.30pm and 4.30pm each day of Women's Health Week.
Women's health has always been important to us
Our commitment to providing timely and affordable access to quality care has seen our Women's Health Clinic build from one GP and one nurse half a day a week 14 years ago to today's service which features several GPs and sexual health nurses based at our Central and Eaglehawk sites.
So we are also making a special look back at the history of of women's health video to give you an insight into how far these services have come in Bendigo for the good of all women.
Our Central site is home to regional Victoria's first Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub and we're pretty proud of that. Sadly, Coronavirus means these services must be delivered from our Eaglehawk site for the moment.
To learn more about our Women's Health Clinic click here
A statement on behalf of Bendigo Community Health Services
By CEO Gerard José
Bendigo Community Health Services is a proud member of the Greater Bendigo Coalition for Gender Equity.
We are committed to working together to advance gender equity, prevent violence against women and diminish all forms of domestic violence, racism and exclusion.
The recent attack on the Victorian Minister for Women, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Gabrielle Williams is totally unacceptable.
The language used to denigrate Ms Williams is an example of verbal abuse that reinforces that only men should be in positions of power and feel entitled to use such degrading expressions against women providing strong leadership in our community.
These are tactics that seek to control and subdue women and generate fear for other women who may seek leadership positions.
The outcome of such behaviour only reinforces distrust in politics being solely about male power and not about advancing a civil society focused on being inclusive of all people.
UPDATE: Yellow balloon 'Everyone's welcome' stickers launched in support of refugee community. Learn more
Believe in Bendigo and Bendigo Community Health Services have begun a campaign to support the city’s Karen community after a series of COVID-19 related incidents.
Bendigo Community Health Services has received reports of Karen community members being verbally abused, coughed on and called names linked to the Coronavirus pandemic.
“The incidents have centred around blaming people of Asian Australian appearance for the origin of Coronavirus,” BCHS Cultural Diversity and Relationships team manager Kaye Graves said. “It’s ludicrous, unfair and it’s dangerous. It has left a lot of Karen community members upset and frightened.”
Mrs Graves said given the unsettled and unsafe life experiences of most of Bendigo’s Karen community before arriving in the city they were hesitant to speak with police because of their unfamiliarity with reporting processes.
“We understand that and have been busy working with them and the amazing staff at the Bendigo police station,” she said.
“Inspector Shane Brundell has helped us make a video for our website to encourage the Karen community to report these incidents and remind the community of the laws and penalties for such behaviour.”
Believe in Bendigo came to the fore during the protests surrounding the approval of the Bendigo Islamic Community Centre in 2015.
The successful anti-racism campaign, which has been copied in cities around Australia, focussed on a positive message and showed the world that Bendigo condemned hate and violence.
And it is doing it again.
“If you belong to a minority group, a minority culture or a minority religion, you are welcome in Bendigo,” Believe in Bendigo spokesperson Margot Spalding said.
“And we want to show the Karen community that today. The Karen community is one of Bendigo’s biggest success stories, and they offer our community so much.
RELATED: To watch a statement of support for Bendigo's refugee communities from Bendigo Mayor Margaret O'Rourke click here
RELATED: Welcome to Bendigo video made by the Karen community with our support. Beautiful: http://bit.ly/WelcomeToBendigo
SPECIAL VIDEO: See a video we have made with Victoria Police Inspector Shane Brundell from Bendigo Police Station explaining prejudice motivated crime such as racism to the Karen community and how they should report any incidents at the bottom of this post. Thank you.
Bendigo Community Health Services runs the Men's Health Marathon in late August and early September each year - 11 days of activities designed to get men out, active and thinking seriously about their health.