A range of community groups and small businesses hit hard by COVID-19 will feel the love over the next few months as preparations ramp up for the 2022 Dubbo Show.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has announced $44,999.89 from the NSW Government’s Country Shows Support Package for the Dubbo Show Society to run this year’s event.
“The Dubbo Show is great fun of course, but it’s also a crucial economic injection for businesses, with all of this funding to be spent locally with suppliers providing entertainment, first aid, prizes and marketing materials,” Mr Saunders said.
“The funding also makes it possible for the show society to donate money to the countless community groups that chip in to make the event a success – from the Rural Fire Brigade volunteers moving show-jumping poles, to the girl guides who butter bread for three days!
“It’s a huge logistical exercise but in return for their time, these groups receive much-needed funds to support their activities for the next 12 months.”
Dubbo Show Society secretary Sue Hood said the funding gave organisers certainty, which in turn gave their suppliers confidence.
“The whole funding, it’s a Godsend,” Mrs Hood said.
“We have groups do the cleaning, security, ticketing, all those sorts of businesses and not-for-profit organisations, they will all have some money from this and it helps them because in 2020 they didn’t get a cent. Whatever comes to us, goes around to others.
“All show societies, including Dubbo, thank the NSW Government for having the initiative to support country shows. It needs to be recognised.”
Applications are open until Friday, 29 April 2022, or when funding is exhausted. For further information, including program guidelines and eligibility criteria, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/CountryShows.