PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release
September 25, 2023
At 7:00pm on July 7, 2023, Junee Business and Trades (JBT) terminated the contract with Junee Community Network to provide Community Liaison and Grant Officer services within the Junee Community.
However, Junee Community Network will continue to provide on-going support to the 100+ not-for-profit community groups and sporting clubs based, or operating, within Junee Shire — continuing to offer some services on a voluntary basis, while others may see a fee-for-services.
Junee Community Network’s Founder and Chief Consultant, Nicholas Pyers, said “I’m extremely proud of the results we — as a community — have achieved over the last five years”
Nicholas has assisted over fifty organisations from across Junee Shire (and beyond) to complete in excess of 150 grant applications — resulting in more than 85 grants approved, providing more than $5.5 million of funding over the last five years for local community groups focused on aged care, seniors, veterans, and the vulnerable in our community; as well as local chapters of service clubs and charities, various festivals and events, museums, sporting clubs, showgrounds, community halls, and meeting spaces.
Nicholas was instrumental in helping Junee acquire $1 million in funding through FRRR’s Investing in Rural Community Futures program — a portion of this funding was awarded to JBT, over multiple rounds, to fund the [now terminated] Community Liaison and Grant Officer positions, as well as assisting many other local not-for-profit organisations and events.
The impetus for the founding of a new local newspaper focussing on Junee, The Junee Independent, has been credited by the publishers, due to Nicholas’ initial enquiries to the publishers of the Cootamundra Times (and other regional mastheads), when investigating options for inclusion of a trial newsletter or newspaper in a grant application.
Many alliances and partnerships between various local organisations have been fostered and evolved into various projects been successfully funded thanks to Nicholas’s hands on approach — eg a successful partnership between the Junee Ex-Services Club and Rotary, in conjunction with Junee Community Network, has seen the investment of $200,000 through NSW Government funding for the installation of Video Conferencing Equipment, new audio services and stage lighting installed in the “Junee Community Meeting Rooms”.
Nicholas has worked with many of the village and community halls to obtain funding to ensure the upkeep and revitalisation of these invaluable community resources ensuring they will continue to be available to local residents for another 100+ years.
Moving Forward
Nicholas is NOT prepared to see over five years worth of successful grant writing expertise and relationship development with the local community to be thrown away!
Therefore, Junee Community Network is currently looking at ways it can continue to provide similar services in the future to the 100+ not-for-profit community groups and sporting clubs based, or operating, within Junee Shire.
There are dozens of local community projects that we know various groups are eager to finding funding for and we’d like to be in a position to assist.
Unfortunately, this may mean that some services may have to have modest fees charged directly to the applicants, but we will endeavour to minimise any such costs and often they could be incorporated in to a funding application.
Some projects we are especially keen to assist with includes (and definitely is NOT limited to):
The GrainCorp Silos along side Goldfields Way, Old Junee and at Brabins Road, Illabo (adjacent to the Olympic Highway) are eligible for consideration of a permanent Silo Art mural project.
We are keen to see Silo Art installed at both Illabo and Old Junee; and are prepared to work with community organisations to see this eventuate — thus adding Junee as another must-see destination on the Australian Silo Art Trail!
learn more about silo art for junee »
The Riverina Express is a proposed Tourist Train for the Riverina Murray region that will be community owned and operated.
Lachlan Valley Railway (a not for profit rail heritage organisation) are looking to bring a heritage train (DEB Set) to Junee for restoration and reactivation locally at the Junee Railway Workshop for main line operation.
LVR intend to working with job/training providers to assist in training and education programs in passenger train operation, including on board services and hospitality.
Once the restoration is complete, the train will be based from Junee and operated throughout the Riverina Murray Area for tourism and to support local events. This will provide a bespoke experience unique to our region that can transport 150 people from town to town.
The proposed Riverina Express will also benefit local accommodation providers (multi day tours), restaurants, retail and tourism related businesses.
learn more about the riverina express »
There is demand for a Shared Community Storage Facility within Junee to store a significant amount of equipment (including BBQ Trailers, Audio Visual Equipment and various other shared community resources) that is owned by various Community Groups and Sporting Clubs but is currently stored across numerous locations — often in private garages, shed. and even supposedly “spare bedrooms”.
Applications have previously been submitted to various grant rounds in order to secure funding to construct the Junee Community Storage Facility. The facility would consist of a large 3-bay shed, with some internal divisions, plenty of shelving and electrical power (for lighting, automatic roller doors and the charging/powering of equipment stored within the facility)… and Junee Community Network would welcome working with a number of local community organisations to make this project a reality!
learn more about the junee community storage facility »
When discussing potential projects that local community groups and sporting clubs wish to seek grant funding for a number of items are frequently mentioned.
Often these items are only needed by the group once or twice a year… occasionally they are needed once a month or so, but would sit idle for the rest of the time.
Junee Community Network complied a list of some of the most commonly discussed items and projects that could be funded through various grant programs and then made available as Shared Community Resources.
Junee Community Network would proudly work with any local not-for-profit community group or sporting club to submit grant applications to obtain any of these resources for the benefit of the entire community.