Sports funding gets the Burdekin community moving

Golfers, tennis players, swimmers and a host of other sports participants from Burdekin will benefit from about $70,000 in Bligh Government funding as part of the Sport and Recreation Active Inclusion program.

Active Inclusion offers special funding to sport and recreation clubs looking to build their own capacity through enhanced education and training programs, the recruitment and retention of volunteers, and by encouraging participation in sport and recreation from within their community.

Sport Minister Phil Reeves said the Queensland Government, through the 2010-11 Budget, is providing funding over and above standard streams to help sport and recreation clubs develop and enhance their own resource as they look to grow and attract new membership.

“Local communities thrive through participation at local sport and recreation clubs, and that’s why we are supporting them to be as successful and inclusive as they can be,” Mr Reeves said.

“Clubs will be able to build their capacity by providing accredited training to their volunteers, such as referees, coaches, and first aid officers, and by supporting clubs to hold come and try days to boost their membership.”

The local organisations to receive funding are:

·Ayr Bowling Club to conduct a series of participation events and coach and umpire upskilling for lawn bowls at Ayr - $5,000;

·Ayr Golf Club to conduct a series of come and try days and volunteer recognition for golf at Ayr - $4,123;

·Ayr Tennis Association to conduct a series of come and try events and coaching clinics for tennis at Ayr - $5,000;

·Brandon Bowls Club to conduct a series of come and try days and recognise volunteers to support lawn bowls at Brandon - $3,050;

·Burdekin Amateur Basketball to conduct a coaching program for primary school students to support basketball at Ayr - $4,265;

·Burdekin Touch Association to conduct accredited coaching and referee courses for touch football at Ayr - $5,000;

·Home Hill Cricket Association to conduct a participation initiative and training course for cricket at Home Hill - $4,100;

·Home Hill Golf Club to provide a series of coaching clinics and come and try days to support golf at Home Hill - $5,000;

·Home Hill Swimming Club to provide referee, coaching and first aid training to volunteers to support swimming at Home Hill - $4,500;

·Home Hill Tennis Association to conduct a series of promotional events and first aid training for tennis at Home Hill - $5,000

·N.Q. Razorbacks Football Club to provide coaching license course to support football at Townsville - $5,000;

·North Queensland Equestrian Group to attend dressage judges re-accreditation seminar to support national level and pony club level dressage at Ayr - $5,000;

·Townsville Basketball to provide referee and coach accreditation for basketball at Townsville - $5,000;

·Townsville City Netball Association to provide first aid training, coaching courses and volunteer recognition for netball at Townsville - $5,000;

·Woodstock & District Sporting & Recreation Assn to conduct a series of come and try days to support multisport activities at Woodstock - $5,000

Mr Reeves, who announced the new and improved suite of sport and recreation funding programs earlier this year, said the programs are designed to increase participation, recruit volunteers, and encourage disadvantaged communities to participate in sport and recreation.

“One of the targets in the Bligh Government’s blueprint for the next decade, Toward Q2: Tomorrow’s Queensland, is to help Queenslanders become Australia’s healthiest people by 2020,” he said.

“The benefits of regular physical activity are well-documented and our investment in sport and recreation is focussed on making sure everyone has an opportunity to get out and get active.

“Queensland invests more funding in sport and recreation than the other state in Australia, which helps to keep Queenslanders fit and healthy, and rewards us with the best sporting teams and athletes in the country.”

Media contact: 3224 7081 or 3235 9236

Notes to Editors

The Sport and Recreation Active Inclusion Program supports communities by providing funding for activities and education to increase access to sport and recreation for individuals and groups facing barriers to participation within the community.

Funding is available under the following 3 categories:

·Participation initiatives - Projects that encourage greater opportunities to be involved in sport and recreation.

·Education and training programs - Training activities that develop the skills of service providers.

·Volunteer development and recruitment - Activities that support organisations with the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

Organisations eligible to apply:

·Queensland not-for-profit organisations

·Councils

·Queensland State schools

·A sport or recreation body that can deliver suitable projects to the target groups

For more information go to http://www.sportrec.qld.gov.au/Funding.aspx