Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh has warmly welcomed a NSW Government grant of $113,831 which will help St Vincent de Paul Society in partnership with Coffs Harbour City Council to deliver an important project in our community.
Mr Singh said the Stronger Country Communities Fund will help the St Vincent de Paul Society bring to fruition their Strong Girls, Active Communities project in Coffs Harbour.
“This project seeks to create two multipurpose courts to be marked for volleyball, badminton, table tennis and other sports, as well as for multicultural and other dances, and tables,” Mr Singh said.
“This will be a women-friendly space in particular and will encourage greater participation of women and girls in outdoor activities and self-defence classes.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing the artwork and sculpture which will be associated with this project.
“Initiatives like this build upon the NSW Government’s vision to help make regional NSW the best place to live, work and visit.”
The St Vincent de Paul Society’s North Coast Settlement Service is thrilled with the funding.
“We’re really happy that this project has such strong community support,” said North Coast Settlement Service manager Rachel Richardson.
“We help newly arrived migrants and refugees acclimatise to Australia and provide them with the tools to achieve economic independence and social wellbeing.
“We also work to create a sense of connectedness for the people we assist and these kinds of projects help immensely because of the broader community’s involvement.”
Coffs Harbour City Council is also excited about this local project.
“With the Coffs Harbour City Council area having been a designated Refugee Welcome Zone since 2008, we’ve worked with a number of migrant communities to provide facilities and services that help them feel welcome and a valued part of the wider community,” said Chris Chapman, Council’s Director Sustainable Communities.
“This new sports facility will play a fantastic part in giving people of all backgrounds – but especially young women and girls from Myanmar – a safe place to play sports, engage with their culture and just spend time together.”
