FRRR board members visited community groups in Seymour, such as Gnarly Neighbours, to assess their recovery journey after the 2022 floods.
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How is Seymour bouncing back from from the 2022 floods?
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To find out, an executive team from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal visited Seymour to assess the community’s recovery journey.
FRRR funding was a significant source of support for the town following the 2022 floods.
From May 14 to 15, the team met with locals to gauge where the funding has taken them.
Seymour FM, at its new location on Pollard St, was the first stop.
FRRR aided the community broadcaster to replace damaged equipment and furniture, and also provided it with a FRRR Nutrien Ag Solutions grant to assist with relocation.
CEO of Seymour FM Josh Pearson said the support “helped us turn a crisis into a comeback”.
“After the floods, we were able to rebuild our studios and reconnect with the community thanks to their funding and belief in what we do,” he said.
“Meeting the FRRR board in person was incredibly meaningful.
“It showed that behind the grants are real people who care deeply about regional communities and the stories we share.”
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton with Josh Pearson and Cynthia Lim of Seymour FM and FRRR chairman Tim Fairfax.
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Kings Park was next on the list, where the team met with several community groups who received FRRR recovery grants.
Representatives from the Seymour Agricultural and Pastoral Society, RDA Seymour and the Seymour and District Arts Society shared how the flood impacted their operations, and the FRRR funding helped to get them going again.
Mitchell Shire Community Recovery coordinator Vicky Gommers and Seymour Community Support Committee co-chair Stuart Locke were also in attendance, and discussed how recovery is a slow and evolving process.
Kings Park Management Committee president Ken Hall spoke on the impact of the floods and the massive clean-up effort and repairs involved, which are still ongoing.
The FRRR group also caught up with the team at Gnarly Neighbours.
Since its formation in 2000, FRRR has distributed more than $200 million to 15,000 projects that have strengthened the social and economic fabric and resilience of rural, regional and remote Australia.
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said it was gratifying seeing the positive outcome the funding had on the community.
“Meeting with these community leaders was the highlight of our time in Seymour, where the board and executive were spending two days developing FRRR’s next strategic plan,” Ms Egelton said.
“Seeing first-hand the impact of our funding, and hearing about the critical role that these community groups are playing in the vibrancy of Seymour, left us inspired and motivated to grow our funding to ensure that FRRR can keep backing rural communities and leaders driving real outcomes for current and future generations.
“Thanks to all for the warm welcome and hospitality.”
FRRR is a charity which receives donations and develops corporate and philanthropic partnerships to fund projects.
Grants for rural communities are available through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities grants program at https://tinyurl.com/4dvd89m9
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