Client Services
Community Transport
Our “Get Connect Plus a big bus” Fundraising
campaign for a 24 seater bus was achieved in January
this year. WCC purchased a 2011, 25 seat Fuso Rosa.
This was achieved through strong community
fundraising and a partnership with Whittlesea YMCA.
Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising
efforts over the last 24 months.
With support from the City of Whittlesea, we were able
to access additional HACC funding which secured a
second position in the transport service. We now have
around $150,000 to deliver volunteer coordination
and support in the community transport service and
while this still leaves us with a shortfall in the cost
of running the service each year, we have been able
to secure the future of the Whittlesea Community
Transport Service.
A major highlight for the year was becoming an
accredited bus company, meaning we maintain
high standard quality control systems, and are able
to undertake fee for service transport work for other
community organisations in the area. WCC is the
only community transport service in the North of
Melbourne that is an accredited bus company.
We also received $20,000 from the Lord Mayors
Charitable Trust to strengthen and grow our Connect
Plus community enterprise. This year has seen a 40%
increase in vehicle hires as well as a 200% increase in
revenue from $6,000 in 2012/13 to $18,000 in 2013/14.
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Funds raised from the enterprise make a contribution
to the shortfall in running costs for our Community
Transport Service. Thank you to all our community
partners for supporting the service through your
bookings and hires.
Whittlesea International Women’s Day
Awards
This year’s awards ceremony was held at Riverside
Community Activity Centre in South Moran. 80 local
residents attended our first dinner event where we
heard some inspiring words from our guest speaker
Pamela Curr from the ASRC. Two fabulous local women
were recipients of this years award.
Congratulations to Deborah Patterson, Principal at Mill
Park Heights Primary School, who was nominated for
her contributions to the community outside of her work
including president of YMCA, mentoring women in
prison and running a breast cancer support group.
Heather Fairweather was the co-award recipient
receiving her award for visiting the elderly in hospital
and supporting people in remote areas and in other
parts of the world.