Scrap materials give a helping hand to community groups

Primary schools, surf lifesaving clubs and neighbourhood centres are among the community groups to receive funding thanks to the sale of Energex’s scrap materials.

Energy Minister Mark McArdle today presented more than $75,000 to local South East Queensland community groups who are the latest recipients of Energex Community and Sustainability Fund (ECSF) sponsorships.

“The Energex Community and Sustainability Fund turns the phrase ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’ into reality, with scrap materials being recycled to raise money for important community and sustainability projects in South East Queensland,” Mr McArdle said.

The latest round of funding will assist the delivery of 26 local projects that will provide benefits ranging from revegetation projects to healthy lifestyle education programs and vegetable gardens.

Recipients include:

All Saints Primary School, Albany Creek – to create and maintain a vegetable garden to educate students about sustainable food practices;

Beechmont Progress Association – to create a community garden to educate people to live in a sustainable way;

Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club – to support a Junior lifesaving education and surf safety program;

Bulimba Girl Guides – to create and maintain a vegetable garden to educate members about sustainable food practices;

Caloundra Community Kindergarten – to replace an ageing electric hot water system with more efficient solar powered system;

Clover Hill State School, Mudgeeraba – to create and maintain vegetable garden to educate students about sustainable food practices;

Civic Solutions Inc, Logan City – to create a community garden to educate people to live in a sustainable way;

Coolum District Coast Care Group – to provide energy efficient refrigerators that are used for seed storage;

Coomera Chamber of Commerce – to develop Junior Chamber of Commerce groups in high schools in the local area;

Coorparoo Juniors AFL Club – to purchase energy efficient lighting for the school oval used by the junior club;

Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club – to assist the “Beach to Bush” camp for high school students to receive bronze medallion and also provide soft rescue boards;

Everton Park State High School – to revegetate area of Kedron Brook Bikeway;

Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouse – to produce an educational brochure about the lighthouse to promote its cultural significance;

Good Start Early Learning Centre, Brisbane City – to create and maintain a vegetable garden to educate students about sustainable food practices;

Gympie and District Landcare Group – to build tracks at Nils Buchanan Messmate Park at Kia Ora to minimise weed impact and increase public use;

Kuraby State School – to create and maintain a vegetable garden to educate students about sustainable food practices;

Lions of MacGregor – to provide tools for work on weed control and revegetation projects;

Marine Rescue Point Danger – to purchase a canvas marquee to be used at community events and recruitment days;

Memorial Park Kindergarten Assn Inc, Maroochydore – to create and maintain a vegetable garden to educate students about sustainable food practices;

Australian Volunteer Coastguard – to purchase vital emergency rescue equipment;

North Shore Community Centre, Pacific Paradise – to create a community garden to educate people to live in a sustainable way;

Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre – to promote the centre’s community services;

Samford’s Men’s Shed – to provide materials for the Brisbane Sustainable Timber Expo;

St Joseph’s Nundah – to support the Marathon Club promoting healthy lifestyles through exercise;

Toowong State School – to install a fish pond area for native fish and plants;

Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue, Beerwah – to provide training to rescue pelicans and seabirds.

The ECSF sponsorships support Energex's corporate objective of delivering sustainable outcomes for South East Queensland. In the 2011-12 financial year this recycling included 1,529 tonnes of timber, 3,863 tonnes of scrap metal and 922,978 litres of oil.

Applications for the next round grants in the ECSF are open now with more information available at energex.com.au/ourpartnerships

[ENDS] 28 March 2013

Media contact: Minister’s Office 07 3896 3690 or 0417 277 905