General News
29 March, 2026
Health service to launch community foundation
A NEW community foundation will be established to boost health, wellbeing and care services in southern Loddon towns.
Inglewood and Districts Health Service’s foundation will raise funds to support innovation in care delivery, community health programs, aged care services and new equipment purchases.
It’s board and consumer and community engagement committee have spent the six months developing the fundraising concept.
Committee chair Anne-Marie Davis said communities were now being asked to propose names for the foundation and residents to consider being inaugural foundation members and supporters.
Mrs Davis said the foundation would expand the health service’s fundraising capacity.
“For more than 150 years we have been wonderfully supported by the Rheola Charity Carnival on Easter Monday - we still are - but that remains the services only community fundraising,” she said.
“There is much more we can look to do in serving our communities and continuing to be a vital part of our local communities as we have been since Inglewood hospital opened in 1863.
“We want community members to help shape the future of local health services as the establishment phase of a new charitable foundation supporting the work of IDHS begins.”
CEO Dallas Coghill said the foundation would be a way for the community to be more involved in the health service.
“We can expand services in our growing communities with local support.”
Mrs Davis said: “The engagement and services of IDHS should not be defined solely on what is funded through traditional government streams.
“A community foundation can see IDHS at the forefront of rural health service innovation,” she said.
Mrs Davis said engagement with the community would drive the foundation’s success.
“Residents, local organisations and businesses are encouraged to take part in the naming consultation and share ideas about how the foundation can support the future of health services in the region.
“Expressions of interest are also open for people interested in joining the inaugural committee, which will guide the establishment of the foundation and its governance framework.
“Together we can build a strong future for health services across our communities,” Mrs Davis said on Tuesday.
Read More: Inglewood