Perth’s New Ronald McDonald House opened by Premier Colin Barnett

Posted on 10th December 2015 by Andrew Sullivan

GeersSullivan has a proud relationship with Ronald McDonald House Charities which began not long after we started our business in 2003.  From that time we have been a major sponsor of the RMHC-Mercedes Benz Ball, provided support to the organising committee by making our office available for meetings, giving administrative support and also through my role as Treasurer from 2004 to 2013 and Candice Kennedy’s role as Treasurer from 2014 onwards.  Our Team has cooked for the “Make-a-meal” Program many times and from 2014 I have been a member of the Board of Ronald McDonald House Charities in Western Australia.

It is a privilege to work with the dedicated and amazing people who work at, volunteer and support the House in Perth.

On Friday 4th December, Premier Colin Barnett opened the new $27 Million Ronald McDonald House Perth on the QEII medical site adjacent to the new Perth Children’s Hospital in Nedlands.

After 25 years in Subiaco, the Ronald McDonald House Perth has been relocated to a state-of-the-art House with capacity to accommodate nearly three times as many seriously ill regional children and their families.

The new Ronald McDonald House Perth now hosts 47 family rooms which can accommodate up to 220 people each night, and assist over 800 families each year.

With this significantly upgraded capacity, less families risk being turned away in their time of most need and are able to call the House their home-away-from-home.

The ‘Stronger Together’ Capital Campaign was instrumental in fundraising for the new House with over A$27 million raised since it launched in 2013.  Funds needed to commence building were raised within 15 months of the launch of ‘Stronger Together’.

The WA State Government recognised the significance of RMH Perth and the services it will continue to deliver to regional families with a $13 million contribution towards the project – a Lotterywest grant of $8 million and Royalties for Regions contributing $5 million.

Western Australia’s business community has dug deep to put the needs of seriously ill children first: BHP Billiton is the largest corporate donor with a $5 million contribution; Fortescue Metals Group raised $3 million from directors, employees and staff fundraising; and Mission Partner McDonald’s WA licensees and its corporate community have come together to donate $1 million.

Ronald McDonald House Perth Executive Officer Peter King said he was overwhelmed by the generosity of the Western Australian community, who made the dream of building the new House a reality, by raising all the funds in just 15 months.

“We are an independent charity and rely on donations from the Western Australian community, so we cannot wait to show everyone what their support has really done,” Mr King said.

“The Subiaco House has assisted 3,500 families since it opened and our new House is all about providing that extra security and support and meeting the demand for many years to come.”

The new House is an energy standard LEED rated building and offers two fully self-contained isolation units, a commercial kitchen and laundry, gym and conference facilities, a rooftop garden, teen den and a recreation rooms. Rooms are fitted with wall mounted foldaway bunk beds, bathrooms and even bacteria neutralising wall tiles to keep the environment healthy within the House.

Staying at RMH Perth is also an opportunity to offer a strong support network by creating a sense of community though interaction between families and patients, allowing them to relate to each other’s situations.

I’d encourage you to go to the RMHC Perth website and learn more about this amazing charity, contact me directly on (08) 9316 7000 or andrew@gscpa.com.au and I’d love to talk to you about it or even arrange a tour for you of the new House.

All the very best,

Andrew Sullivan