TWO groups have each received more than $8000 from the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal in their two rounds of funding this year.
Swan Hill Woodworkers Club and Swan Hill’s Riding for the Disabled Association centre secured grants from the Strengthening Rural Communities – Rebuilding Regional Communities funds.
The Federal Government partnered with FRRR, distributing $5 million between 2022 and this year to help community organisations that are reducing social isolation and foster strong rural communities.
SHWC received more than $8500 to be used on the purchase of a new CNC laser cutting machine, which allows them to strengthen their volunteer capacity.
SHWC president David Proctor said the new machine allowed club members to produce and complete numerous projects with a piece of wood.
“We can practically do anything with this machine,” he said.
“We can make trophies, we can complete multiple cuts to create things like pictures, we can use the laser to burn motifs onto pieces of timber and really enhance the bits and pieces we do.
“It’s a self-funded club, so we do a little bit of work and get paid for that so that we can keep the club running.
“We don’t charge high prices. As long as we can keep our head above water and have a little bit left over to buy equipment.
“We’re very appreciative to have received the grant from FRRR, they’re a great mob to deal with.”
Mr Proctor said the club was a place where men and women could come and meet friends over their love of woodworking.
“It’s kind of like a men’s shed, just somewhere that we can meet-up once a week,” he said.
“It’s a good therapy, as well as good for the building friendships side of things as well.”
Swan Hill’s RDA centre will upgrade fencing at Tyntynder’s Butler Reserve, having received more than $9300.
Swan Hill RDA president Alison Gibson said the upgrades would benefit all five user groups at the reserve.
“It is really good,” she said.
“The fencing had been quite sub-standard.
“We had a little pipe fence that was already there, which had been recycled when there used to be a tennis court there.
“The personal access gate also wasn’t as wide as we needed it to be, now we can fit a wheelchair through that gate, which will be of an Australian standard.”
Ms Gibson said the works were the first step of works at the centre.
“This is the start of our works, starting with the most necessary,” she said.
“It’s really the first step to get everything going. Rabbits had burrowed their big warrens all around there, and council didn’t have the funds to assist us with that.
“It’s pretty important for us to be able to keep horses off the highway. The fence used to be so low that I would have been able to jump over it.”
