Funding announced for art exhibition at Austinmer and community gardens at Helensburgh and Bellambi

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A COMMUNITY art exhibition at Austinmer, garden projects at Helensburgh and crafting reusable bags at Bellambi are all initiatives in the works following the announcement of the fourth round of Wollongong City Council’s Connecting Neighbours Grants Program.

Council initially piloted this program in 2018, and it has gone from strength to strength as community members from across the Wollongong area have applied for funds to run grassroots activities that have a positive impact on their local area.

Activities awarded funding through this round include Creative Corners, where a group of Austinmer residents will make sculptures from natural materials and install them in a pop-up exhibition on the corner of Railway Avenue and Park Avenue.

Other projects include funding for community gardens at Bellambi and Helensburgh.

This round of grants includes activities that are flexible and are required to adhere to the NSW health guidelines relating to the current Covid-19 pandemic. To support this, Council has extended the timeline for delivering the community focused activities.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the grants help to strengthen and celebrate our neighbourhoods at the grass roots level.

“The activities communities put together build positive neighbourhoods and connections.

“These grants are also an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, kindness, and innovation of our community by supporting unique activities and events that often provide opportunities for vulnerable groups and individuals,” Cr Bradbery said.

A total of 13 grant applications will receive funding, which includes six grants of up to $250 and seven grants of up to $1000, for a total of $7,750 in funding.

Successful Connecting Neighbours Grants in the north include:

• BNC Boomerang Bags, Bellambi
• Gardening Community Care, Helensburgh
• Bellambi Community Garden, Bellambi
• Creative Corners, Austinmer
• Grand Court Reserve Rejuvenation, Fairy Meadow
• Maxwell Road Rest Spot, Austinmer