The local scout group, rodeo club and Country Women’s Association have received a welcome cash injection from the 2018 Longreach Airport Community Benefit Fund.

Four groups received grant funding – typically awarded at $1,000 per organisation – to assist their initiatives in the areas of health and wellbeing, safety, education, security, and environment.

A list of grant recipients is provided below:

• Country Women’s Association Longreach

• Ilfracombe Race Club

• Windorah Rodeo Club

• Longreach Scout Group

Longreach Airport Chief Operating Officer Kevin Gill said the Community Benefit Fund had run for the past three years, allowing the airport to provide funding support to a significant number of local community groups at a grassroots level.

“Each year we are overwhelmed with the fantastic community initiatives underway in our region,” Mr Gill said.

“We’re acutely aware of the uphill battle faced by many of these groups when it comes to funding, so we continue to run the Community Benefit Fund as a way of giving back to locals.

“Grants of $1000 go a very long way for these groups.”

Longreach Scout Group is upgrading its lighting at the front of the Scout Den.

“Currently, lightning over the parade area is very dull which not only makes it unsafe but also hard for some of our scouts to perform flag duties,” said Scout Group spokesperson Jo Winkleman.

“This upgrade will complement our refurbished entrance and create a safer environment for the kids to play.”

The Community Benefit Fund is run by Gold Coast Airport’s parent company, Queensland Airports Limited (QAL), which also operates Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports.

The 2018 Community Benefit Fund contributed close to $50,000 to 43 organisations across the four ports – representing half of the 86 applications received.

QAL also supports local community, business, environmental and tourism events in each of its regions and across Queensland under its corporate sponsorship program.

The 2019 Community Benefit Fund will be launched in May this year. Organisations interested in applying should stay tuned to the airport’s website for further updates.

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