Mortlake’s community-owned residential aged care facility will step out from under the umbrella of Abbeyfield Australia and change its name to Aberlea after members unanimously backed the move at a special meeting last week.
Abbeyfield Society Mortlake Inc members voted unanimously to disaffiliate from Abbeyfield Australia at the end of this financial year and switch to the new and independent name. It also means Abbeyfield Timboon will be known as Aberlea Timboon.
Chairman Mick Murphy OAM said both decisions had been previously endorsed by the board and he was very grateful the members had given their green light to proceed.
“It was wonderful that the vast majority of our members were able to attend the special meeting and it was very gratifying that the move was supported unanimously,” he said.
“This is another exciting step in our organisation’s history and a further demonstration of our members’ confidence that our tough times are well and truly behind us.
“It’s no secret we weren’t in a great position in 2015, but since then our Board and management team has worked hard to not only recover financially, but really look to the future with great confidence and optimism that our own model of care is the way forward.”
Chief executive officer Deb Rantall said a number of circumstances had led to the recommendation to disaffiliate from Abbeyfield Australia and rebrand the organisation.
“For the past couple of years we’ve been reviewing that relationship and working through our options, which included disaffiliating but continuing to use ‘Abbeyfield’,” she said.
“We set up a working group with myself, deputy chair Doug Parker and director Liz Fowler and ultimately that led to the recommendations voted on last Wednesday.”
Mrs Rantall said meetings had occurred with the chairman of Abbeyfield UK in Mortlake in 2017 and the interim chief executive officer of Abbeyfield Australia in Melbourne last year.
“A lot of work has been done. Abbeyfield Australia is undergoing its own restructure and we put it to the members that a total split was in the best interests of our organisation, our residents, our clients and the community,” she said.
“We have a long and proud history with Abbeyfield, but the Board and management team are really excited to focus on transitioning to Aberlea Inc and continuing to provide the very best and most appropriate services for the community.
“The name Aberlea is a nod to our past affiliation with Abbeyfield, while ‘lea’ recognises the heart of our community – the rolling grasslands on which agriculture thrives.”
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