Wannon Water awards $44,000 in grants for local projects
Twenty-one organisations and schools across South West Victoria will receive a total of $44,000 under Wannon Water’s annual Ripple Effect community grants program.
General Manager Community and Corporate Services Kellie King announced the successful recipients of the program this week.
Now in its fifth year, Ms King said the program reflected Wannon Water’s vision of ‘going beyond water for strong communities’.
“We believe that strengthening communities goes hand-in-hand with creating value for our customers and contributing to a better world,” Ms King said.
“The breadth and quality of this year’s grant applications was incredibly high and demonstrates the strength of our community sector and the diversity of initiatives on offer.”
Funding was allocated in three streams, with up to $5,000 available to community groups, up to $4,000 for international aid, and up to $1,000 for schools. The allocations addressed crucial areas of health and wellbeing, education, the environment and regional prosperity.
“Our 2023/24 round was heavily over-subscribed with many high-quality applications coming from across our service region. We’re pleased to support 21 of those projects which have a total cost value of more than $370,000,” Ms King said.
Among the recipients, South West Sport received $2,500 for a Women in Sport Leadership Forum, aimed at empowering local women. Hamilton’s Btr Together was granted $2,000 to install all-abilities equipment at the Lake Edge Adventure Playground, fostering inclusivity and community diversity by encouraging children of all abilities to play together.
Road Safety Education’s RYDA program and the Warrnambool Maori Multiculture Club Second Gear Learn 2 Drive support program were both awarded grants to continue their important work in promoting road safety initiatives in the region. These programs support community members with mentoring and practical road safety skills.
Portland Community Garden will use its $3,500 grant to expand its urban farm, providing more space for volunteers to grow produce, enhancing community health and wellbeing.
Bali Smiles received $2,000 towards constructing two water wells and a communal kitchen to support the Munti Gunung community in the Karangasem regency of Bali. This project will significantly improve access to safe, clean water for families in one of Bali’s poorest regions.
Portland Family History Group received $1,000 for their Voices of the South West project to record, reimagine, and re-use community stories in ways that are meaningful to the people in the region. They will use the funds to purchase equipment including a digital voice recorder, two external microphones, two tripods, two sets of headphones, and a waterproof hard carry case, culminating in an exhibition with 15 oral history interviews on display alongside images sourced from their collection.
Hamilton-Coleraine Railway Line Committee will use their $3,000 in funding to ensure that their working bees will have a first aider on site to improve the safety for their members and volunteers. They will also focus on improving their chainsaw safety and maintenance programs to continue to improve access along the 37-kilometre rail trail.
Glenelg and Southern Grampians Local Learning and Employment Network received $2,500 to support the co-ordination and implementation of the highly recognised Future Leaders Program in Glenelg Shire. The six-month community program develops young people’s leadership skills and helps raise their career aspirations.
South Western Model Engineers and Cobden Miniature Railway received $3,000 to improve access to their facility, making it safer and easier for wheelchairs, prams and people with mobility issues. They will build a covered area to protect visitors from the weather, with seating and fencing to make the area safer for those waiting for a train ride.
Read the full list of the grant recipients.
