Respect and Bayview Haven Marks Name Change with Community Donation

Respect and Bayview Haven are pleased to announce Jess Hancock as the winner of its recent name-change competition after she provided the inspiration for the local aged care home’s new name. 

Having recently joined not-for-profit aged care provider Respect, Bayview Haven (formerly Bupa Portland) last month announced its new name, following a public vote. This was the result of extensive community consultation, which included a special prize to the first individual to suggest the name eventually chosen by the community as the most popular nomination. 

As part of the competition, Respect committed to awarding the winner with a $2,500 cash prize as well as a $2,500 donation to a Portland-based charity of their choice.   

Jess, whose mother currently works at Bayview Haven and proudly provides support to its many residents as a Personal Care Assistant, was “over the moon” to be recognised as the winner and thanked Respect for the prize as well as “the chance to be involved”.

Jess says ‘Bayview Haven’ initially came to mind when she was thinking of names that referenced the home’s connection to the local region, particularly its historic bay. 

When the name was shared back with the broader community through a public survey (as advertised in the Portland Observer) featuring several other options, it proved a popular choice and collected the most votes – leading it to be installed as the home’s new identity.  

Jess nominated the Portland Women’s Service Club as her charity of choice, and Respect is proud to recognise the organisation’s ongoing work in the community with a donation on behalf of Bayview Haven’s residents and staff. 

The Portland Women’s Service Club supports local young women to pursue further education through the provision of scholarships. Since 1993, the Club has assisted more than 50 young women from Portland follow their study aspirations at various tertiary institutions, covering such diverse degrees as teaching, science, physiotherapy, nursing and dentistry. 

Liz Lindsey, President at the Portland Women’s Service Club, thanked both Jess and Respect for their “fantastic generosity”, which she says will have a direct impact on the educational journey of young women living locally, particularly those who are required to study while living away from home. 

“The Portland Women’s Service Club is extremely proud to continue its service to the local community, particularly through our annual education scholarships which help young woman living in Portland pursue their study dreams,” Liz says. “Of course, this ongoing commitment is only made possible thanks to the amazing level of support we receive from the local community, and we continue to be so grateful for all our supporters. 

“A big thank you to Jess and Respect for this wonderful show of support. We believe in improving young people’s lives through education opportunities, and particularly in the current climate, this generous gift will make a big difference to a local young person in the future.” 

Our CEO Jason Binder shared his gratitude to everyone across Portland and the Bayview Haven community who participated in the home’s name change process, recognising their contribution to the home’s growing local legacy. 

“At its core, the whole name-change process was about engaging the people of Portland and enabling them to lead any change,” Jason says. “So how great to have someone with a family connection to our home provide the inspiration behind its new name – which the community showed such strong support for through the survey. 

“As an organisation, we are proud to recognise Jess for this contribution, including sharing our support with the Portland Women’s Service Club. They provide such great support for local young women pursuing further education, so it’s a pleasure to donate to their work.”