A number of local sporting organisations in the Mansfield Shire have been awarded grants up to $2,300 from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation to train volunteers, purchase essential sports equipment for injury prevention and management equipment, and portable sun shade.
Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes said the grants were designed to get more people in the community physically active and to support smaller regional and rural clubs that sometimes need extra support.
“In Victoria, half of all adults do not get enough exercise. As well as the physical benefits, research also shows that sport builds community pride and loyalty and offers people the chance to get involved, providing them with a positive sense of self-worth,” Dr Sykes said.
“Regular physical activity not only protects against many illnesses, it also makes us mentally healthy, alert and resilient against the stresses of modern life.”
Dr Sykes said, “Our local sporting clubs are in many ways the social backbone of small towns and communities in north east Victoria who often struggle to meet necessary expenses and to improve their operations and equipment.”
Recipients in the Mansfield Shire are;
• Mansfield District Junior Cricket Association $2,280;
• Mansfield and District Equestrian Club $1,700;
• Mansfield Swimming Club $2,200; and
• Mansfield Bowls Club $1,980.
This year’s grants were prioritised to support people aged over 60, who traditionally have low rates of sports participation, as well as young people aged five to 17-years-old. And for the first time, 64 clubs across the state received defibrillators to respond to on-field emergencies.
More than 9,300 sporting clubs across Victoria have received Active Club Grants over the 22 years that VicHealth has provided this support.
VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said it was vital to continue to support local sporting organisations.
“Because of our annual Active Clubs Grants, more than one million club members in Victoria have been able to access safer and better equipped clubs with more experienced volunteers,” Ms Rechter said.
“Last year we channelled the funding to areas of Victoria that were devastated by floods and this year we’ve contributed to the purchase of defibrillators for the first time to create healthier sporting environments for all people to participate.
“Sports clubs provide a valuable service in the Mansfield Shire, not just for sport and fitness, but for getting people together as well. Friendship and a strong sense of community are important for good health.”
For more information about VicHealth’s Active Clubs Grants, go to www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/activeclub.