Heritage Grants Support Community

20160807 Heritage Nanango Community Branch — ‘Thank you Heritage!’ … happy 2016 Heritage Nanango Community Grant recipients wave their envelopes on the steps of Ringsfield House (Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)

August 9, 2016

Community banking will be helping to preserve Nanango’s historic buildings, improve conditions for school students and make life a little easier for a rural bush fire brigade this year.

It will also help a local church prepare and distribute food hampers for the needy, keep children happily skating at Blue Light discos, support more than half a dozen of Nanango’s biggest festivals … and quite a lot more.

On Saturday, Nanango’s Heritage Community Branch announced hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for their 2016 funding round.

The bank branch is a joint venture between Heritage Bank and local company Heritage Nanango Community Funding (HNCF), a not-for-profit volunteer-run organisation.

Profits from the branch are shared between Heritage and HNCF, and HNCF’s share then goes back to the community in grants for local organisations and events.

The 2016 community grants were awarded at a ceremony held at Ringsfield House.

“We are proud to announce another substantial amount of funding for organisations and events in Nanango and surrounding districts,” HNCF chairperson Wendy Zerbst said.

“This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the support of the many local residents and businesses who bank at Heritage Bank Nanango.

“The more people choose to bank with us, the more we can do to help community organisations with substantial projects like these, which benefit us all.”

Ms Zerbst said HNCF were particularly proud of several major projects the group would be funding this year, though all grant recipients were equally deserving.

“The Nanango Historical Society have been allocated $44,000 to relocate the Masonic Lodge to Ringsfield House,” Ms Zerbst said

“This historic building was constructed around 1901 and will be generously donated to Ringsfield in
return for the preservation of a number of masonic artefacts.

“Ringsfield will gain a new tourist attraction, as well the use of a large indoor facility that can help make the venue less dependent on the weather when holding large functions.”

HNCF will also be giving Nanango State High School $14,820 for a Health Bike program.

“Not only will students be engaged in more physical activity and assisted in their Health and Physical Education units, but this program will encourage mechanical skills, provide transport, and improve educational outcomes,” Ms Zerbst said.

“The school’s Ground Force team will also receive specialist instruction and supervision on constructing bikes, and will also design and construct a simple mountain bike course that will be offered as an alternative sport option.

“Such an innovative program is a worthy recipient of one of our grants.”

Even Nanango’s Blue Light Association hasn’t been overlooked.

“The Blue Light Association will receive $10,440 to replace their badly worn, aged and damaged skates so their discos and other events can continue,” Ms Zerbst said.

The complete list of projects that will be funded by Nanango’s Heritage Community Branch this year is as follows:

2016 Heritage Community Grants