Businessman and philanthropist Paul Wheelton put his thoughts into action when he recently donated $500,000 to the Northern Health Foundation. The gift will go towards building the foundation’s Teaching, Training and Research Precinct.
Wheelton says “education is the fundamental catalyst that changes people’s lives”.
He also believes in encouraging health professionals to work in the neighbourhood where they studied, particularly in major growth areas such as Melbourne’s north.
“We have this issue with medicine at the moment where training institutions are in town, so they’re learning to be a doctor in Parkville and when they’ve done their training they want to stay in those areas,” he says.
“But if you have them learning out of Epping, the friendship groups they’ll form are there and they’ll be comfortable then to work at Epping. By having that education base, there’s a much greater chance of keeping these people in that community.”
Northern Health CEO Greg Pullen says Wheelton’s donation will allow Northern Health to educate 700 medical professionals every year.
“Paul’s generosity is vital to the future development of Northern Health’s Teaching, Training and Research Precinct,” he says.
“The Northern Health Foundation is seeking like-minded philanthropists to help raise the final $500,000 needed to complete the $34.4 million project, due for completion in 2013.’’
Wheelton is CEO of The Wheelton Group, which uses wealth generated from its Budget business (his first job was with the car rental company), as well as resort and property ownership in philanthropic ventures.
In 2010, Wheelton was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to children through charities such as the Bali Children Foundation, which pays for 600 children in Bali’s remote areas to attend secondary school.
“That fundamentally changes their life because they have extra skills,” he says.
Wheelton spends 70 per cent of his time working on charity ventures, and others including the Life Education program and the curiously named Wildebeests.
“It’s a group of guys that meet once a month for a steak and catch-up,” he says. “It started 10 years ago and now has up to 100 people.
‘‘At each lunch we will raise money for a cause. They’re projects that are hands-on and you can see the result.”
