FEDERAL FUNDS WILL DELIVER MAJOR UGRADES FOR GLOUCESTER’S CWA COMMUNITY HALL

Gloucester’s 70-year-old CWA community hall will receive a major upgrade from the Federal Coalition Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program. 

Funding of $30,000 will deliver new, wheelchair-friendly bathroom facilities including wider doorways, new tiling and a new handbasin. 

Announcing the funding at Gloucester CWA on Tuesday, Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said the hall was one of the most well-used and popular meeting places for the community.

“This is a much-loved community hall and I’m delighted to be here announcing funding for the upgrades,” Dr Gillespie said.

“The CWA ladies, of which there are about 50 local volunteers, call this place a beehive; it’s used by the community op shop, for monthly meetings of local health support groups, for a fortnightly playgroup for mothers and children, for weekly exercise classes and for many other activities.”

CWA Hall Committee secretary Barbara Reichert said the committee was ready to start straight away on the improvements, with an expected completion date of August 2022.

“When the recent drought was on, our rooms here were used to prepare the hampers to be distributed to the farmers, which we were so proud of, right on Christmas 

“It’s a great place at the heart of the community; it’s right in the main street and I think that’s why it’s so popular,” she said.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the CWA New South Wales and the 93rd anniversary of CWA Gloucester.

Dr Gillespie said the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program was delivering upgrades to a number of local evacuation centres, as well as investing in projects that support community resilience, connection and better mental health, in the wake of the Black Summer Bushfires.

“I am proud to be announcing support for these great local communities, who went through a devastating fire season and have seen more tough times recently,” he said. 

Caption: David Gillespie with Gloucester CWA members Robyn Scott, Sandy Tebbet, Anne Williamson, and Barbara Reichert.