Open and shut case – new roller door for Hawkesbury’s St John volunteers

Volunteers with the St John Ambulance Hawkesbury service now have better access to potentially life-saving equipment thanks to a grant for a new roller door.

Paul Barber of St John Ambulance – Hawkesbury City Division – and Macquarie MP Susan Templeman with the new roller door at the organisation’s Showground premises.

The roller door at the volunteers’ Hawkesbury Showground facility had seen better days, and so Macquarie MP Susan Templeman recommended the volunteers’ application for $4400 in funding under the Stronger Communities program be granted by the Federal Government.

“While this funding hasn’t gone towards the fanciest piece of equipment, it’s certainly something that was sorely needed,” Ms Templeman said.

“This project has resulted in easier and safer access to equipment for our St John Ambulance volunteers.”

“These volunteers make it possible for so many of our local events to take place – sports matches, community events and charity fundraisers – knowing that there is emergency medical assistance on hand,” said the MP.

“They have provided frontline support to key emergency services like the Rural Fire Service (RFS) during the 2019 bushfire crisis, as well as ongoing support to NSW Health throughout the pandemic.

“Without safe and easy access to equipment – and a secure place to store it – the volunteers simply couldn’t keep providing their services to our community.”

The funding was granted under Round 6 of the Stronger Communities program, which saw more than $1 million worth of applications submitted across the electorate of Macquarie for just $150,000 in available funds.

“Putting forward applications for recommendation is a very tough process for the members of the independent community panel I put together,” said Ms Templeman.

“It shows just how much need there is in the local community for the funding of projects that maybe small but that have a massive impact,” she said.

“The pool of available funds under Stronger Communities has not increased for several years now, but there has been no let-up in demand. With the pandemic making it harder for not-for-profit groups to raise funds, there is more need than ever for a reassessment of available funding.”

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