By Mikayla van Loon
The Regional Community Recovery Committees (RCRCs) were congratulated by Yarra Ranges Council after they addressed the groups’ progress at the final council meeting for the year.
The RCRCs were set up in November 2021 in response to the pandemic and June storm event to help support and provide opportunities for the Hills, Valley, Upper Yarra and Urban areas to come together.
In doing so, the four groups have awarded grants totalling $278,809 to 59 community groups and organisations across the municipality.
“We’ve all acknowledged either tonight or previously how deeply thankful we are for the work of the committees,” Councillor Johanna Skelton said.
“They’ve all met monthly for a long time now and given us as a council, basically a bit of an advisory role but have also done a lot of work in organising what they saw as priorities for the region and then forming those grants to fund community groups.”
The grants have gone to places such as the Yarra Glen and District Men’s Shed, Healesville Interchurch Community Care, Lilydale Community House, Lilydale Township Action Group, Mooroolbark Umbrella Group, Woori Community House, Rotary Club of Wandin, The Philanthropic Collective, Mount Dandenong Preschool and Belgrave food garden.
Also among the grants are some LGA wide projects from Treasuring Our Trees, Voices of Women, Cire Services, Healesville Toastmasters Club and Benwerren.
“It sounds a lot in its cumulative form but each of those [groups] are going to be giving so much more than that in their time and their local knowledge and their generosity to the community,” Cr Skelton said.
“You’re asking people who have already gone through a lot to give a lot and they have come up and put forward these programs, so it is incredible.”
Member of the Hills RCRC Belinda Young spoke at the council meeting and said to see the friendships, networks and connections that have formed has been wonderful just as much as the events themselves.
“From a personal perspective the events that have come out of this have been amazing. We’ve already seen really good community connections made as a result of the community committee and definitely look forward to the next grant rounds and what else comes ahead,” she said.
With the RCRCs set to be disbanded in June, Cr Andrew Fullagar said he hopes the committees can be reformed in some way to ensure these advisory and community based groups remain
“Considering all the significant progress they’ve made and huge contributions across the shire, some of them visible and most not visible, the networking they’re doing behind the scenes, building communities, these people are like gold in the community and it’s something the council is aspiring to now, is the building of those communities,” he said.
“I hope we can move on in a really positive way and we don’t just disband these committees and we can rebuild with people who want to continue or have the time to continue and pass on that valuable knowledge.”
Councillors unanimously voted to note the progress of the RCRCs and to hand the management over to a different council department.
