General News
16 February, 2023
Maldon Men’s Shed, local organisations boosted by funding
Community projects in Dunolly and Maldon will share in nearly $430,000 worth of funding from the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR). The not-for-profit foundation recently announced $429,741 in grants for 121 projects to strengthen rural...
Community projects in Dunolly and Maldon will share in nearly $430,000 worth of funding from the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR).
The not-for-profit foundation recently announced $429,741 in grants for 121 projects to strengthen rural communities across Victoria, including helping with Black Summer bushfire recovery, COVID-19 recovery and small but vital community projects.
The Dunolly Kindergarten received a $10,000 grant to install solar PV system, while the Maldon’s Men’s Shed received $9294 to upgrade their existing kitchen facilities to support new cooking classes.
Maldon Men’s Shed secretary Barry Murfett said the kitchen upgrade will be a great benefit for the group.
“The funding will mean new cabinets and appliances for us, the current kitchen doesn’t have a proper stove so that’s one of the major benefits of this funding,” he said.
“We’re a group of older chaps and there’s a few who live by themselves and so one thing we will be able to do with this money is offer cooking classes to them.”
The men’s shed has 35 members currently and Mr Murfett said the kitchen upgrade was bringing the group together.
“At the moment the kitchen is used really only for teas, coffees or to heat up a pie and that’s about it,” he said.
“The funding will help us get a dishwasher which we’re all relieved about and we’re doing the assembly of the cabinets ourselves.
“It’s a group project which is good, it’s bringing us together and we’re about halfway through it now.”
FRRR Place Portfolio Lead Jill Karena said that the diversity of projects put forward by communities highlights the importance of offering flexible funding that can respond to local needs and priorities.
“In the Small & Vital stream of the program, we continue to see a focus on food security and energy efficiency with requests for funding for solar installation, energy efficient equipment in local amenities and support for community gardens,” she said.
“These recurring themes are no surprise given the current cost of living crisis.”