Royal Life Saving Society NSW among recipients of Bega Valley ClubGRANTS funding

Royal Life Saving Society NSW is among the 30 organisations across the Bega Valley Shire to share in ClubGRANTS funding this year, for projects that improve community wellbeing and address social issues in the shire.

Royal Life Saving is being funded to run a Youth Swim and Survive program at the Sapphire Aquatic Centre for 25 young people aged 10 to 16 from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom have never had the opportunity to learn how to swim.

Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Russell Fitzpatrick said the projects cover a wide range of community-based initiatives created by the community, for the community.

“Clubs play a vital role in supporting our communities and ClubGRANTS are an important way for community groups and organisations to access funding that might not otherwise be available to them.”

The ClubGRANTS scheme, managed by Bega Valley Shire Council, is a shared NSW Government and club industry program funded by gaming machine tax on registered clubs with gaming machine profits in excess of $1 million.

The five clubs represented on the local ClubGRANTS committee with Council are Club Sapphire, Merimbula RSL, Eden Fishermen’s Club, Bermagui Country Club and Club Bega.

Some of the other organisations and projects funded in 2022 include:

• Pearls Place Community Inc in Pambula to fund a Christmas lunch and hampers to enhance the physical and emotional wellbeing of disabled and socially isolated community members.

• Little Yuin Aboriginal Pre-school to purchase a fridge for the storage of its healthy food and food distribution program for pre-schoolers and their families.

• Eden Community Access Centre to purchase and install purpose-built steps that allow inclusive access for people with disability, older people and people with mobility issues to safely enter the Eden Memorial Swimming Pool.

• Pambula Business Chamber to purchase and install a lifesaving defibrillator in the centre of Pambula.

A list of the successful applicants is available on the ClubGRANTS webpage.

Image: Royal Life Saving Swim and Survive program