Jacinta Allan, the Premier of Victoria, has visited the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) facilities, fulfilling an ambition to see the positive impact of the foundation’s programs at first hand.  

Premier Allan was hosted during AFL Grand Final week by Jenny Taing, Chair of the WBCF, and Louise Perry, General Manager, along with WBCF staff, AFLW players and four graduates of the Daughters of the West (DoTW) program.

“I heard how well you were doing!” the Premier exclaimed when she met the graduates. “I just knew I had to come and see it for myself.”  

DoTW is the Community Foundation’s flagship health and wellbeing program for women over the age of 18. It is run over 10 weeks and focuses on building fitness, health education and social connection.  

As Premier Allan engaged with the graduates, each one had a powerful story of how the program had transformed their lives. For Helen Allen, who discovered she had breast cancer when she visited her GP as part of the DoTW program, it was a special moment.

“We laughed about how our surnames were the same but spelt differently,” Allen said. “She listened to my story about how DotW has been such a life-changer for me, especially with my cancer journey. The support I’ve received, especially in the friendships I’ve made, has meant so much.”   

Sport and Recreation Victoria is a significant contributor in bringing DotW to life, an investment that highlights the state government's commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and social connection across the western regions of Melbourne and Victoria.

Premier Allan’s interest in the DotW program was evident throughout the visit, as she acknowledged the strength, resilience, and sense of community within the group.  

Speaking about the importance of government support for such initiatives, Allen emphasised that programs like DotW promote wellbeing, good health, and friendships in the local community.  

“After all, loneliness is terrible for a lot of people, so to get something like this is great for mental health as well as fitness,” she said.   

The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is a nation-leading organisation that uses the power of sport to deliver life-changing programs that give everybody the opportunity to thrive with a focus on young people, gender equity, prevention of family violence, diversity, inclusion and community wellbeing.   

DoTW is funded by local, state and federal governments as well as major partner WorkSafe Victoria, and Cohealth.