The Bellarine Community Support Register was was introduced in 2006 by Ann Nichol with the support of a number of dedicated local residents including Local Member Lisa Neville MP after it was reported that a Melbourne woman had been found dead in her home after more than 2 years.

The Register now holds the personal and contact information of up to 1,400 Bellarine registrants that can be accessed by Police in the case of emergency.

The Register improves social connectedness across the broader Bellarine community and enhances the feeling of safety and security, confidence and sense of wellbeing of those in need of support. It holds contacts and information provided by residents and can be accessed only by police in a personal emergency.

The free service, run by over 30 volunteers, offers Registrants the option of receiving a regular call from the register who call on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis to check on Registrants’ wellbeing. If Registrants cannot be contacted and emergency contacts are unavailable, the volunteer will contact Triple Zero (000) and request that Bellarine Police undertake a Welfare Check to determine the wellbeing status of the registrant and act accordingly.

The $10,000 Benefit Geelong grant will be spent on a promotional campaign in Bellarine work, community and recreational spaces that includes project officer hours and the updating of promotional materials to meet changed Privacy Act legislation.

The campaign aims to recruit new registrants to the Bellarine Community Support Register with the assistance from the Bellarine Police and joint member networks.