Braidwood Central School will be able to go ahead with its $170,000 Community Gymnasium Kitchen Project to install a commercial kitchen in the school/community gymnasium following a $60,942 grant from the Veolia Mulwaree Trust. When complete the kitchen will be used as a training site for school hospitality students, be able to cater for up to 500 people and be used for a variety of community events.

A project to Upgrade Infrastructure at Cookbundoon Sports Fields in Goulburn will be undertaken by the Southern Tablelands Football Association. The Trust will contribute $33,142 toward new senior and junior soccer goals, goal posts and a range of new spectator seating to be installed as part of the upgrade.

Ss Peter and Paul’s Primary School in Goulburn will install new playground equipment for suitable for years three to six students. A grant of $24,000 will assist the school to complete the project.

The Goulburn Regional Conservatorium will receive a grant of $14,063 to support the development of a recording studio at the Rock Con (School of Contemporary Music and Technology). The grant will provide a state-of-the-art recording platform and control desk for students and regional schools.

St Bede’s Catholic Church in Braidwood was successful in applying for a grant of $13,355 to upgrade its facilities including building a new wheel-chair accessible toilet, erecting garden shed and upgrading an existing shed for use by the St Vincent de Paul Society.

Bungendore Preschool Association will create a beautiful and safe playground for its children with its Redesign and Development of Bungendore Preschool Playground project. A grant of $11,217 will be provided by the Trust.

Greenwell Point Public School will be assisted with a grant of $12,454 toward its project to install new playground equipment and outdoor furniture for its students.

The Tallong Community Focus Group will erect a new signage on Highland Way to promote the activities of its community groups. The Trust will contribute $2,613 toward the project.

Goulburn East Public School will undertake its School Educational Provision Improvement project to purchase a new interactive whiteboard for the kindergarten classroom and four new raised garden beds to assist hands-on learning in the science and environmental studies areas. The Veolia Mulwaree Trust will assist through a contribution of $5,282.

The Moss Vale and District Basketball Association’s 430 members will benefit from a $6,650 grant toward the Keeping Score with the Times project, which will see a new scoreboard and 24 second clock installed at its stadium.

The Goulburn Local Area Command (NSW Police Force) will receive a new Crime Prevention and Community Engagement Display Trailer thanks to a grant of $7,897. When complete, the new trailer will be put to use throughout the region improving communication and safety awareness in the community.

A grant of $3,977 will be provided to the Bungendore Carriage Driving Club to undertake its Dressage Arena Surround project and purchase moveable purpose designed PVC fencing for its local events.

The Veolia Mulwaree Trust looks forward to working with these community organisations over the coming months toward the successful completion of their projects.

The following organisations were successful under the Veolia Mulwaree Trust donation program in March:

Buxton Rainbow Club – $1,000 donation toward swimming tuition for children with special needs.

Yanderra Public School – $1000 donation to landscape school grounds with native plants, seats and bird bath.

Budawang School – $1000 donation to support the school’s swimming program for 18 disabled children.

Burraga Public School – $1000 donation to supplement school equipment, excursions and sports fixtures.

Bundanoon Community Association – $1000 donation to purchase a watering system, purchase dwarf fruit trees, garden tools and materials for the Bundanoon Community Food Garden.

Milton Ulladulla Dog Training Club – $1000 donation to fence a Baby Puppy training area.

Buxton Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade – $1000 donation to purchase building materials for a new office.

Bundanoon Playgroup – $1000 donation to purchase of climbing equipment.

Vincentia High School – $1000 donation to purchase sports uniforms, maintain road bikes and support event entry for members of the school’s Triathlon Club.

Goulburn Amateur Swimming Club – $1000 donation to purchase stopwatches to enable larger events to be held locally.

Tambelin School Goulburn – $1000 donation to purchase sporting equipment for students.

Tarago CWA Branch – $1000 donation to purchase new tables and a display cabinet.

Bungendore PA and H Society – $1000 donation to purchase shade structures for horse events.

Make-A-Wish Foundation Goulburn Branch – $1000 donation toward providing services to seriously ill children and their families.

Both the Southern Highlands Domestic Violence Forum and Goulburn Domestic Violence Committee will receive $990 each to purchase training manuals to enable local teenagers to receive the Love Bites education program through high schools in the region.

The Robertson Burrawang Rovers Soccer Club, which applied for the grant, is very pleased with the newly erected floodlighting allowing more training and evening matches to be played.  “The villages of Robertson and Burrawang have a long and proud soccer history and now thanks to the Veolia Mulwaree Trust our future is looking even brighter,” said Rover’s Club President, Damien Plain.

“We are very grateful to the Veolia Mulwaree Trust for their assistance with our project and appreciate their patience when things did not go totally to plan,” said Treasurer, Robert Handley. When the fourth pole was being lifted into position in November 2011 the crane driver bumped the pole on the ground. The hook came off the sling and the pole fell to the ground. After being held up with very wet weather in February and March 2012, the fourth pole was finally installed on Monday 26th March.

“We now have the whole field to train on under lights. Some of our juniors are already training after dark as the coaches can’t start until 5.30pm” said Mr Plain.

The building will include male and female accessible toilets, shower, canteen, storage and spectator awning area.

Funding partners along with Council included Veolia Mulwaree Trust, State Government under the Community Building Partnership Program and members of the Warradale Soccer Club will be funding the internal fit outs for the amenity.

 “Cr Judy Hannan and I were there to see the first turn of soil at the location. Projects like this require funding from a number of partners.  Thanks to Mulwarree Trust and the State Government for their financial assistance and a huge thanks to the good people of the Warradale Soccer Club for all they have done with this project.  It takes people with commitment to get these projects off the ground and again, the Warragamba people have shown their community spirit and dedication,” said Mayor, Cr Col Mitchell.

Paul Stephenson from Veolia Mulwaree Trust said “We are pleased to be a part of this major project and it is great to see that construction has begun. It is the first project that we been involved with in Wollondilly and we look forward to working with Wollondilly Shire Council again in the future.”

Neville Slender from Warradale Soccer Club said “The people of Warragamba are pleased to see this project underway.  The facility will not only be used for sporting events but for largest events such as Damfest.”

- Media Release from Wollindilly Shire Council, 30 April 2012

“We now have a wonderful facility and it is thanks to Veolia Mulwaree Trust and its generosity in supporting the local community,” wrote Martha Grahame, Secretary of the Taralga and District Tennis Association.

“We now have two new all weather surface artificial turf tennis courts, one of which can be used for playing futsal or for junior hockey training. It is a wonderful result for our community because such facilities were only previously available in Goulburn or Crookwell.”  The total project cost was $58,115 of which $12,500 was provided by the Veolia Mulwaree Trust grant.

The Taralga and District Tennis Association think that the project will benefit both their organisation and the wider community of Taralga and district. They have already seen an increase to their membership due to the new courts. The weekend coaching numbers have also increased and they are hoping to start an adult tennis competition in 2012.

The Taralga and District Tennis Association had for many years been trying to get two more all weather tennis courts so that they have four available courts. This would enable competition to be played in Taralga as they have enough courts for four simultaneous matches to be played. It also assists the tennis coaching program, both on the weekend and the program they run in conjunction with Taralga Public School.

They now have a mulri-purpose court with futsal/hockey lines that can be used to play Futsal (small sided soccer) or to train for hockey in the winter months. The new courts have removable posts which facilitate this and are easy to maintain.

The Veolia Mulwaree Trust provided a grant of $21,659 toward the project cost, 50% of the funding.  Other funding was contributed by the Sussex Inlet Foundation for Community Development and local organisations including Rotary Sussex Inlet and the RSL Sub-branch. 

The Foundation has provided a community transport service since 1986. The service assists more than 805 clients each year to get to various appointments. Clients come from Sussex Inlet, Badgee, Berara, Swanhaven and Cudmirrah. Craft, diabetic, and Cancer Support Rehabilitation, all use the transport service. Sussex Inlet is 12km from the main highway with no public transport services. The reliance on community organisations for integral services is very high according to the Sussex Inlet Foundation for Community Development.

The organisation’s previous bus was purchased in 2003 and had travelled more than 207,000kms and reached the end of it’s life. The running costs were making the bus uneconomical to run.

Community transport is provided four times a week – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to Nowra for medical and professional appointments. Every second Wednesday the organisation has “Evergreens” Frail Aged Group at the Centre for a hot lunch and craft.

Pictured at the recent bus launch are Foundation representatives John Howlett, President Jane Piazza and Treasurer Robyne Houchin with Veolia Mulwaree Trust Chairman Paul Stephenson.

Principal, Mr Peter Pilgrim, said ”our students live in a technological world. Students in mainstream settings have access to technology on a daily basis. For students with disabilities and/or impairments to have equality in education, it is important they are given every opportunity to access technologies that put them on an equal footing with their peers. Many students within the school suffer from sensory dysfunction; these technologies assist students with sensory integration through visuals and sounds. Students with communication disorders are also supported through these technologies. The visuals and associated sounds ensure students understand how to complete interactive activities.”

Pictured above is Veolia Mulwaree Trust Chairman, Mr Paul Stephenson officially handed over the Electronic Whiteboard to relieving principal, Edwina Turner, at the school’s Christmas concert in December.

The club has approximately 350 players from all ages ranging from minis (5 year olds) to seniors over 35 years, both male and female players. The new facilities will not only benefit the local soccer community, but also the visiting teams to the fields all from the surrounding council area.

The new field with goal posts and nets will open in the upcoming 2012 season. Shoalhaven City Council was responsible for provision and construction of the new field, and has added new entrance gates and fencing to the new fields.

Officially opened on 3 December 2011, the new building now provides a canteen, sport storage areas, a meeting room/game day administration room, official’s change rooms and public toilets. Located in the centre of Bungendore, the project has provided a much-needed public facility in the growing township. A variety of different sports are played at the oval and surrounding area.

“It is already appreciated by the various sporting and community groups that use the oval and it will have a lot of use,” Palerang Council’s Director of Infrastucture Planning Mr Bill Ellison said.

The building project was managed by Palerang Council and cost $600,000, jointly funded by the Veolia Mulwaree Trust ($89,000), the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation, Federal Government, Palerang Council, Bendigo Bank, the Mick Sherd Oval Shed Committee and much-appreciated in-kind support and donations from many local businesses. Palerang Council also funded the upgrade of the adjacent car park which has added to the amenities.

The new building was officially opened by Veolia Mulwaree Trust Chairman Paul Stephenson, Palerang Mayor Walter Raynolds and State Member John Barilaro, pictured unveiling the plaque.

Chairperson of the Gundillion Recreation Reserve Trust, Gwen Jagger, said “the hall now has a kitchen area of a high standard and this will make food preparation safer, hiring of the hall more attractive and the task of volunteers less onerous”.

The Centenary Celebrations for the Gundillion Reserve were held on the weekend of 11th December 2011 with over 100 children and their families enjoying the traditional Children’s Christmas picnic, dancing and bush band, family reunions and historical presentations.

The top photograph shows Veolia Mulwaree Trust Chairman, Paul Stephenson, officially opening the extension to the Hall’s kitchen.