Leader Local Grants 2018 winners revealed

YOU voted and now Leader Community News is proud to announce the recipients of our $1000 Leader Local Grants. Check out your neighbourhood’s favourite community project.

Leader Local Grants ambassador Peter Hitchener with students from Kingsley Park Primary School, which received a $1000 grant to kickstart its bike ed program. Pictured with Peter are Leah, Kaitlyn, Hannah and Kalyani. Picture: Chris Eastman

THE people have spoken Leader Community News is proud to announce the winners of 26 $1000 grants for grassroots projects across Melbourne.

Leader Local Grants 2018 recipients were revealed today by program ambassadors Peter Hitchener and Livinia Nixon at a breakfast for all the finalists at The Langham Melbourne.

Leader has given away more than $260,000 since the grants started in 2012.

This year there were more than 44,000 reader votes spread among almost 300 applications.

Schools, animal rescue programs, sports clubs and neighbourhood groups are among those who will now be able to bring their projects to life.

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Editor in chief Andrew Rennie said Leader was passionate about the communities it served.

“There are so many people and groups in our communities looking to make them a better place to live, and we’re thrilled to be able to recognise and support them through our Leader Local Grants program,” Mr Rennie said.

Leader Community News general manager Daniel Clarke said the range of applications was a testament to the character of Melbourne and spoke volumes about how much people loved their neighbourhoods.

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation chief executive Catherine Brown said the organisation — which was a supporter of this year’s program — was keen to celebrate its 95th anniversary with communities throughout Melbourne.

“We were so encouraged by the Leader Local Grants initiative and how the community has come together to help local, grassroots projects,” Ms Brown said.

Leader thanks sponsors Channel 9 News, Smooth FM and The Langham Melbourne for supporting the program, which is presented by Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

LEADER LOCAL GRANTS RECIPIENTS 2018

Annika, India, Olivia, Nellie and Tomas at the School of The Good Shepherd in Gladstone Park, which received a grant for its school garden. Picture: Rob Leeson.

Bayside Leader — Education Garden — Hampton Primary School wants to create a series of garden beds to teach students about planting and growing their own food, which will be used in the school canteen.

Caulfield Glen Eira/Port Phillip Leader — Community Laneway Project Carnegie — To create a mural and street library in the laneway between Graceburn Ave and Koornang Rd, which is used daily by Carnegie Primary School families, commuters, dog walkers and cyclists.

Cranbourne Leader — BK 2 Basics Melbourne — Every week this group doles out 130 food hampers to struggling families in Casey. They will use the money to start a food program in Hampton Park.

Diamond Valley Leader — Forget the chalkboards, we’d like new backboards — Watsonia Heights Primary School needs new basketball backboards, rings and nets.

Frankston Leader — Bike Ed — Kingsley Park Primary School wants to buy new bikes to start a “Bike Ed” program for kids aged 8-12.

Greater Dandenong Leader — Dandy Cat Rescue — the new volunteer group, which rescues cats and kittens on the streets of Greater Dandenong, will print brochures for pet lovers about the work they do and how to care for adopted cats.

Maneki Neko Cat Rescue in Preston received a grant to help with desexing and microchipping rescued cats. Picture: Sarah Matray

Heidelberg Leader — Privacy doors — Winston Hills Preschool would like to install doors on its toilets to give children some privacy while they are in the loo.

Knox Leader — Footballs for training — After expanding team numbers in 2018, Eastern Lions Junior Football Club needs 20 new footballs for training. These will be in a range of age appropriate sizes to help kids develop their skills.

Lilydale Yarra Valley Leader — Help us grow! — Chirnside Park Preschool will build a vegie garden to encourage children to take an active role in caring for the environment and help them begin to understand their role in a sustainable future.

Manningham Leader — Choir riser — Milgate Primary School will use the money towards buying a four-step riser to be used by the school choir at assemblies, open nights and at Manningham Carols by Candlelight. It will allow all the students to see the performing art teacher’s cues and let the audience see all the singers.

Maribyrnong Leader — Hospital Helper — the money will go towards Hospital Helpers, which are packs of basic hygiene items which are given to disadvantaged patients who present at Footscray Hospital Emergency and are admitted for a longer stay. These patients are typically homeless, in financial difficulty or don’t have the support of family or friends.

Chirnside Park Preschool received a Leader Local Grant for a new vegie garden.

Maroondah Leader — New Toys — Maroondah Toy Library will buy 25 new quality educational toys such as a click electronics set, magnetic building set and mini beast life cycle set.

Monash Leader — Pallets to Plants — Jells Park Primary School is building a vegie garden using recycled wooden pallets and will use the grant to buy a water tank, organic soil and plants.

Moonee Valley Leader — Human Sundial — Moonee Ponds wants to create a human sundial — a unique and interactive way for kids to tell the time. By standing on an appropriate marker on the ground, a shadow is cast on a numbered marker which tells the time.

Moorabbin Kingston Leader — Vertical gardens — Kingswood Primary School wants to install vertical gardens for each class to look after, with the plants linked to a science topic being studied in that year level.

Mordialloc Chelsea Leader — Help us fill our library shelves! — Aspendale Primary School will use the grant to buy some nonfiction books for its library. This will include books about Australian history and indigenous culture, the environment, sport and other countries.

Moreland Leader — Empowering girls through soccer — United FC recently formed the first ever Nepalese women’s soccer team to help empower girls and women through sport. They will use the money for ground hire.

Mornington Peninsula Leader — Boomerang Bags — Seawinds Capel Sound Boomerang Bags group will use the grant to help pay for a sewing machine and thread. The group is part of a global movement to source and use recycled fabrics to make bags and reduce plastic use.

Northcote Leader — NIMBA — Parents of twins and triplets not only face the challenge of raising more than one baby at once, close to 60 per cent are born premature with an increased time in hospital. The Northern and Inner Multiple Birth Association (NIMBA) would like to deliver a week’s worth of meals to families with premature babies.

United FC’s Nepalese women’s soccer team is a winner on and off the pitch, receiving a Leader Local Grant. Pictured are Nirmala, Prerana, Richa, Pabitra, Aswini, Shradda, Bobby and Smriti. Picture: Ellen Smith

Northern Leader — Fresh Friday — The money will go towards new gardening equipment, fruit trees and seeds for the School of The Good Shepherd lunchtime club to grow and harvest fresh food.

Preston Leader — Cat Desexing Bus — Maneki Neko Cat Rescue will partner with the Lost Dogs Home to provide low cost desexing and microchipping. These procedures assist low income to prevent unwanted kittens and ensure the safe return of their beloved pet should they go missing.

Progress Leader — Organic Vegetable Patch — Camberwell Primary School grade 4 students will design, construct and plant a range of vegetables in a new vegie garden. They will also harvest the produce to cook a lunch for parents and friends.

Stonnington Leader — Music Wall — Armadale Early Learning Centre wants to create a music wall to encourage children who use Picture Exchange, Key Word Sign or who speak limited English, to help develop their language skills.

Sunbury/Macedon Ranges Leader — Remembrance Garden — St Mary’s Primary School will create a Remembrance Garden to help students honour loved ones who have died.

Whitehorse Leader — Patch to Plate — Chatham Primary School needs a new oven to replace its faulty one. The appliance is used for the school’s healthy eating and food science cooking programs, using produce grown at the school.

Whittlesea Leader — Inventing Girls — Mernda Park Primary School wants to offer a lunchtime technology club for year 2-3 students. The group will target girls who are under-represented in scientific and technology fields. The purchase of a Makey Makey invention kit will help inspire young inventors of tomorrow.