Community to benefit from resilience grants

Community to benefit from resilience grants

Published on 10 March 2021

Arts and cooking programs, farmer information forums and a plan to provide Responsible Service of Alcohol training for all local Year 12 students will benefit from Round 4 of the Gannawarra Community Resilience Grants Program.

Funded by the Victorian Government’s Drought Mental Health Support Package and Community Activation and Support Initiative, 13 community groups will share in $35,002 of funding to roll out projects across the municipality.

“As with previous rounds, this popular initiative has again been well received by the community, with Council receiving 23 applications seeking a combined total of $59,852 of support,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.

“Projects that successfully received funding will support mental health and wellbeing, community connections, inclusion and participation, which will be pivotal as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic."

Social connectivity was a strong theme adopted by half of the approved projects, with the grants program to support the resumption of Cohuna District Hospital’s Men’s Cooking Program, the Quambatook Community Resource Centre’s Arts for All Abilities program, Gannawarra University of the Third Age’s plans to develop an outdoor games-based social program and the Murrabit Men’s Shed’s goal to roll out a revitalisation project, focusing on its meeting space and the Murrabit Community Garden.

Farming trends and innovations will be the highlight of a Cohuna Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society-organised series of information forums, whilst all local Year 12 students will undergo Responsible Service of Alcohol training thanks to a Northern District Community Health-supported initiative.

“Council thanks all community groups and organisations that applied for funding at this time, and looks forward to seeing these projects come to fruition this year,” Mayor Gillingham said.

“Council is also committed to working with the community groups and organisations that were unsuccessful in obtaining funding to provide suggested alternative funding opportunities where appropriate or identify other assistance which may be required to progress projects.”

Projects that will be supported by Round 4 of the Gannawarra Community Resilience Grants Program are:

Cohuna Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society (Farmer information forums) Cohuna District Hospital (Men’s Cooking Program) Gannawarra University of the Third Age (Outdoor games social program) Kerang and District Community Centre (Split system air conditioner/heater) Kerang Historical Society (Purchase of engine lift and defibrillator) Kerang Progress Association (Kerang Local Arts Project) Leitchville Lions Club/Leitchville Men’s Shed (Purchase of defibrillator) Murrabit Advancement Association (Murrabit Community Support Officer) Murrabit Men’s Shed (Post-COVID revitalisation project) Northern District Community Health (Responsible Service of Alcohol training) Quambatook Community Resource Centre (Arts for All Abilities Program) Quambatook Football Club (Indigenous Round support) Rotary Club of Kerang (Walking/cycling track connection at the northern end of the Kerang levee track)

ABOVE: The Murrabit Men's Shed's goal to roll out a revitalisation project, focusing on its meeting space and the Murrabit Community Garden, will benefit from a Gannawarra Community Resilience Grant.