Southern WA gets call to apply for Port community funding

SOUTHERN Ports is calling for communities across the south of Western Australia to apply for grass roots funding.

Regional community initiatives throughout southern WA have four weeks to apply for the upcoming round of the Southern Ports Community Investment Program which has provided more than $1.5 million to the community over the past five years.

Each year the program supports a variety of causes, ranging from life-saving volunteer groups through to creative hubs.

Southern Ports chief executive Keith Wilks said the Community Investment Program was both flexible and far-reaching.

“We welcome applications from right across the South West, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions across broad areas of focus,” Mr Wilks said.

“Each year we support more than 120 initiatives as part of our ongoing commitment to build strong and lasting connections with our communities.

“If your group or organisation has a worthwhile project that adds value to our regional communities there is a good chance that you’re eligible to apply for up to $5000 in support.”

The St John Ambulance Jerramungup Sub Centre received funding last year to upgrade its Gairdner depot.

The Sub Centre operates across an area which includes depots at Jerramungup, Wellstead and Bremer Bay, as well as the one at Gairdner.

A Southern Ports media release said the Gairdner depot’s central location makes it the most convenient facility to host training for volunteers spread across the district but it is little more than a large shed with a central curtain dividing the meeting space from ambulance parking.

StJohn Jerramungup chair Dawn Chadwick said the funding would go towards constructing an internal wall as well as a storeroom so that critical medication can be securely kept at the facility.

“We need that storeroom so that we can have a proper medication safe which will meet the required standard for new medications,” she said.

“Our long highway frontage and the busy summer holiday season at Bremer Bay means we need to be well prepared because of how remote we are.

“The funding from Southern Ports is going to help build what we need here at Gairdner.”

The Cannery Arts Centre in Esperance has also received funding that is helping improve how it showcases local creatives.

In two separate grants it received support to complete a shop fit out and to purchase new events furniture.

Cannery Art Centre general manager Katie Witt said the centre prides itself on showcasing local artists.

“We’re a not-for-profit organisation running a very tight budget, so being able to cover the shop fit out through Community Investment Program funding was amazing for us,” she said.

“The funds went toward quality furnishings to showcase art which is all from local artists.

“The shop is an amazing asset because we have people coming through who just want to buy unique, hand-made products that have been made with love and tell a story of the place they’re from.”

Ms Witt described the application process as “one of the easiest” to follow and complete.

Ms Chadwick, a first-time applicant for Community Investment Program funding, agreed the process was simple and straight forward.

“Wesaw it on social media, had a look and decided ‘yes, that’s for us’,” she said.

“We found the application very easy – it was just about putting into words what we wanted and what we needed it for.

“Grants are there to be applied for, so I’d definitely encourage others to make use of them.”

More than 120 initiatives across the Great Southern, South West and Goldfields-Esperance regions were supported by $330,000 in Southern Ports’ funding last year.

Applications are open until 6 March - see the Southern Ports website for more information and to apply.