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Without the help of the Warrnambool City Croquet Club, and a Warrnambool City Council grant, Bev Grant and her friends from Gillin Park never would have had the chance to pick up a mallet and learn a new game.
The croquet club successfully applied for funding via Council’s Community Development Fund to drive people who might not have their own transport to the club to enjoy a game of croquet and a day out.
Applications for Round 2 of the grants program are now open, with grants of up to $5000 available to local clubs, community groups and artists.
Bev said that while she has always enjoyed sport, she had never played croquet until the club invited to drive her and fellow Gillin Park residents to the croquet court on Cramer Street on a regular basis.
“I’ve been each time that they’ve offered us transport over,” she said.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time out on the croquet court learning the game, and the support and encouragement we get when we come… they have been very friendly and welcoming.
“It’s always been a lovely day out, and we recommend it to everyone else in the village.”
Warrnambool City Croquet Club Vice President and Community Activation Officer John Pattison said that the aim of the program was to get people involved and to care for the community.
“We thought there was a need in the community to help people who were in retirement villages, nursing homes and also all-abilities groups to try and get them to come and give them an experience, give them a day out, have a bit of fun and just enrich their life,” he said.
“Initially we’re not after new members as it’s about giving them the experience to see what they could do if they chose to come later on, but we’ve had a lot of interest for membership, so it’s been quite successful.”
Warrnambool Mayor Cr Ben Blain encouraged all community clubs, groups and artists to look at program, with a very broad range of projects and equipment able to be funded.
“As you can see with the Warrnambool City Croquet Club’s transport project, when you give people the freedom to decide what the money could be used for to best help the community, there are some really creative proposals put forward,” he said.
“With that said, anything that would help more people participate in sport and leisure, that enriches the cultural fabric of Warrnambool or helps the environment will be considered.
“We’ve already funded 22 groups this financial year under Round 1 of the program, with everything from new percussion instruments for the Warrnambool City Band, a comic book workshop for people of all abilities and a blister pack recycling scheme run by the Rotary Club of Warrnambool Daybreak receiving grants.
“It’s the community clubs, the creatives and the conservationists that help to make Warrnambool the amazing place that it is, and with Round 2 of the Community Development Fund, we have up to $100,000 to help them.”
Find out more and apply for Round 2 of the Community Development Fund
Applications close on May 4, 2025.
Anyone that has received funding as part of Round 1 is invited to wait until June, when applications for the 2025/2026 Community Development Fund will open.