with Susan Templeman MP

Our community in the Hawkesbury knows that recovering from natural disasters takes time and that each person will have their own process of dealing with the loss , anxiety and distress they have experienced .

I want to draw attention to one particular round of grants that have helped different pockets of the community get back on top of things . The Community Wellbeing and Resilience Grants , funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and NSW Health , through the Wentworth Healthcare , have

given people the opportunity to connect with local services and each other . We ’ re talking small amounts of funding that can make a big difference .

We know how healing music can be , which is why music was a key feature in many of the programs that received funding . For example , Nordoff-Robins Music Therapy received a grant to run an 18 week music outreach programs for residents in aged care facilities in Richmond and Windsor .

The Macdonald Valley Association used their grant funding to hold a series of classical music concerts to bring communities together across the

Hawkesbury . They also hosted workshops that gave amateur musicians the opportunity to develop orchestral and chamber music skills .

Recovery for businesses is a unique and difficult process , so grant funding was provided to the Hawkesbury Business Alliance to host networking events for local business , and even though the funded program had ended , the group plans to live on .

And children ’ s well-being was not ignored - PCYC Hawkesbury was funded to run a school holiday outreach program aimed at kids 5-12 to help kids with their emotional wellbeing through activities

like sports , games , crafts , dance and mindfulness activities .

Plus St Monica ’ s Primary School in Richmond created a yarning circle and cultural space for students , teachers and families to participate in smoking ceremonies , explore Indigenous language and connect with local First Nations culture .

While the recovery experience following any natural disaster looks different for each individual , I ’ m proud to have advocated for the Federal Government to contribute funding for these activities and projects that help the Hawkesbury community .