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CVC wins three bushfire recovery grants

Geoff Helisma

Clarence Valley Council (CVC) will receive a total of $871,150 from the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund – Phase Two, Stream 2.

The council’s application to the fund was successful for three projects: Community Resilience Program, $297,000; Reconnecting with Nature, $293,948; and, Cultural Heritage and Storytelling, $280,202.Each of the projects is expected to be completed by June 2022.

The Community Resilience Program “supports communities to better prepare for future disasters through the Red Cross’ award-winning Community Resilience Teams model”. “Following community engagement in nine communities in early 2021, a program of workshops and/or events will be tailored to each community,” the report to the May 4 CVC meeting stated. The Reconnecting with Nature project “brings communities together to reconnect with nature, promoting healing and recovery, while deepening their understanding of natural hazards in their area”.

“Partner organisations will work with communities to facilitate events, workshops, working bees and citizen science days in communities,” the report to council stated. Regarding the Cultural Heritage and Storytelling project, the report to council stated: “From cultural burning practices to the recent catastrophic bushfires, the Clarence Valley has many stories to tell. “This project will engage with communities to present natural disaster stories in local halls and libraries to aid recovery and preparedness.”