Neville Spear Community Grants - Category 1
Category 1 - Coffs Coast
Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap helps men and their families from all walks of life who are facing many kinds of crises; they may have lost their home, been through a relationship break down, lost their job or suffering from depression and/or anxiety. Bridging the Gap offers a voice and an ear with professionals who have the skills to help and have a sound understanding of men’s rights.
The group offers advocacy and support, general counselling, grief, trauma and crisis counselling together with programs including: anger management, cooking on a budget and the ‘Triple P’ (Parenting Program).
The Neville Spear Community Grant will enable Bridging the Gap to continue to provide meals and food for those in need and buy swags for the homeless. The group also have a pressing need to replace the washing machine and dryer that are available to their clients.
For more information, please visit Bridging the Gap’s website or Facebook page.
Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre
Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre is a not-for-profit, community based early childhood service located in Toormina. Gamumbi supports local families to ensure children’s early learning prepares them not only for school, but to be respectful, creative and considerate members of our local community - now and in the future.
Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre currently provides nutritious meals for the children enrolled in the service. Where possible, Gamumbi also provides these meals to vulnerable and low income families of the children enrolled to ensure all families have access to healthy and nutritious meals which can sometimes be out of the families’ grocery budget.
With the Neville Spear Community Grant, Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre will be able to update their kitchen appliances to ensure they are able to continue to provide nutritious meals in sufficient quantities and in an effective and sustainable way.
Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre's philosophy is that all children should have equal access to quality early learning, and they aim to keep their fees low for families, therefore relying on fundraising and grant applications such as the bcu Neville Spear Community Grants for maintenance and replacement of equipment to continue effective operation of the service.
For more information, please visit Gamumbi Early Childhood Education Centre’s website or Facebook page.
Nambucca Senior Citizens Club
Nambucca Senior Citizens Club is a long-standing venue for the use and support of the elderly and frail in Nambucca Heads. During the pandemic the group have continually reached out to the elderly in the community to ensure their wellbeing, even during times when the centre was closed.
The group have a growing list of over 30 registered members who meet for social activities including cards, bingo, support and guided computer assistance. They also have many groups who use the hall including art groups, meditation groups and Marine Rescue.
The Nambucca Senior Citizens Club are undergoing a restructure to enable the centre to meet the needs of the community in terms of community space, information and engagement.
The Neville Spear Community Grant will allow the group to have an open day for their centre to showcase the hall hirers such as the Nambucca Lions, Nambucca Orchid Society and U3A, as well as meditation groups and seniors activities like cards and bingo. The Nambucca Senior Citizens Club will also be able to purchase equipment to assist their team of volunteers who produce the monthly newsletter, the Nambucca Community News.
For more information, please visit the Nambucca Senior Citizens Club’s Facebook page.
Coffs Harbour Women's Shed (CHWS)
The Coffs Harbour Women's Shed (CHWS) project group is a sub-committee of Coffs Harbour Lions Club. The CHWS’s goal is to establish a safe, supportive and sustainable women’s only space (much like the Men’s Shed) in which women from all ages and backgrounds are supported to learn new skills, build confidence, self-sufficiency and expand their social networks. The CHWS is a space to combat loneliness and build self-esteem though empowering women to develop a variety of skills and improve their wellbeing. The Coffs Harbour Women’s Shed project is all about empowering women. It’s not just a shed for building stuff, it’s a shed for building women.
The group intends to build their brand and increase their exposure within the community by running workshops in community venues. These workshops will target women of all ages and backgrounds and will be run by experts.
The CHWS is run by volunteers who have put a lot of hard work into getting their project off the ground. The group needs more help with grant writing, building design, and general administration. There are lots of unemployed women in the CHWS community who have volunteered to undertake these tasks because they believe in the project.
The Neville Spear Community Grant will allow the group to renumerate these women for their time and hard work.
For more information, please visit the Coffs Harbour Women's Shed’s website or Facebook page.