THE Back to Base festival and riverfront concert will be an annual event, says Terry Welch.
The chief executive of Mildura Base Public Hospital, which he has led since its return to public operation in September last year, is passionate about the organisation’s connection to its community and sees a yearly celebration as a joyous embodiment of that.
“We saw an opportunity for an event that drives social recovery and brings the community out of COVID and celebrates that, as well as recognising the incredible legacy, the work of the staff and the connection to community, and also create the most amazing family-friendly event we could possibly have,” Mr Welch told Sunraysia Daily.
“130 years is an incredible legacy. We started as a very small centre and funded by the community, and from there we’ve progressed through to what we are today and I think we’re doing a tremendous job and overall the community certainly respects and appreciates that and will really enjoy what’s going to be an amazing weekend of events.”
For the general public, the highlight of the festival will undoubtedly be the March long weekend concert starring Jessica Mauboy and Busby Marou, but at it’s true heart will be a huge gathering of past and present hospital staff.
“Our aim is a very big reunion of staff to reconnect and be able to celebrate what has been an incredible legacy, but also the journey we are on as an organisation,” Mr Welch said.
“We’re incredibly proud of our staff here and we want to celebrate with them the work they’ve done through COVID, we want to celebrate what the community’s done with COVID and we see this as the perfect opportunity.”
Mr Welch quipped that “most of the people attending (the festival) will have worked (at the hospital) or been born there”, adding that almost everyone in the area would have contact with their hospital at some point.
“If you do the sums very quickly, we’re having around 800 births a year and we see over 30,000 people just through our emergency department alone,” he said.
“People clearly see us as the community hospital and we see that very much as our role and part of that is, as in this process, leading social recovery, getting people back out and back into confidence about connecting with community and having events, and that’s why we’ve structured this so it’s affordable.
“Jess Mauboy could not be a better fit for this community and what we’re trying to achieve.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the community to also say to this team, who I think are just truly incredible, thank you for what they’ve done and really support this event and make it what’s going to be a really fantastic annual event.”
