Liberal Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres today announced $10,170 in Community Building Partnership funding for a new boat to add to the Pendragon Panthers Dragonboat Club.
Mr Ayres met with Gil Swadling and Fiona Gray of the Pendragon Panthers to let them know the good news.
\”I’d like to thank Stuart Ayres for securing this funding for our club. As a growing club our group needs extra facilities to cater to the increased interest in our activities.\” Mr Swadling said.
\”Our dragonboat club supports the fitness needs of around 50 members coming from various age groups and capabilities. We’re here for everyone and this new boat will help us expand our reach into local high schools and universities.\” Ms Gray said.
The Building Community Partnerships Program, run annually, gives funding to local not for profit groups who are in need of infrastructure. Each application is evaluated by the local Member for Parliament on its contribution to community life, as well as by government experts who look at its economic benefits.
As a local MP, delivering $500,000 in funding for local infrastructure projects has been a very rewarding process. I think challenging politicians to get out of their office more often and giving them the capacity to make a real difference locally is what democracy should all be about.” Mr Ayres said.
\”As a local MP, having the ability to make recommendations to the Premier about where resources in the Penrith electorate should go is a great way to make sure money is going to all the right places rather than backroom operators and bureaucracy.
\”Meeting with people who set aside hundreds of volunteer hours every year and having them let me know how a small amount of funding could dramatically improve their ability to serve the Penrith electorate is as rewarding as it is informative.
\”This is a great opportunity to support a growing club and I look forward to the boat’s launch and monitoring its growth in the coming years.\”
