Bendigo Bank House celebrates one year of operation, looks towards expansion

The 15-suite facility has marked one year of operation with more than 2100 guests using the accommodation since it opened in July last year.

Bendigo Health Foundation chair Scott Elkington, who is also head of community solutions at Bendigo Bank, said the group would be working to meet the growing demand for the service.

"The risk is that the need keeps getting ahead of us," he said. "So we're working with the hospital to identify land that might be suitable and where we can we will build more."

Each of the 15 suites have been funded by Bendigo Bank branches in north central Victoria, like Inglewood, Heathcote, Castlemaine and Swan Hill.

Read more: Rochester Secondary College students create artworks for Bendigo Bank House patient accommodation

Mr Elkington said those branches would continue to support the initiative indefinitely.

"The plan is that as rooms need to be refitted, the different branches will be doing everything they can to raise money and contribute their own funds to keep refitting their rooms and keeping them tidy," he said.

Bendigo Bank executive Alexandra Gartmann said the bank, along with partners like Exemplar Health and Bendigo Health, would also help maintain the facility.

"We will stay connected with it," she said. "Where new requirements are identified, those consortium of players will be looking to invest more to meet the growing needs."

Rochester resident Barbara Kestle, 78, used the facility in December last year when she had an early appointment at Bendigo Health.

"I had an 8am appointment at the hospital to have heart treatment," she said. "To come down from Rochester at that hour of the morning, it wasn't quite as safe as during the day.

"So we came down the night before and stayed here. It was wonderful. You have secure parking, you're safe and you know you're close to hospital if you need treatment overnight. It just feels like home."

Ms Kestle said a similar service should be introduced in other regions across the state.

"If they can build facilities like this in other big centres, then people will have somewhere to go," she said. "In places like Bairnsdale and Shepparton, people won't have to drive all that way for treatment.

"They can be comfortable and feel like they're at home."

For more information or to support the project, visit www.bendigobankhouse.com.au.

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