Film fundraiser for Sebas newsletter

ORGANISERS behind the Sebastopol Community Newsletter are looking to give people a fun afternoon at the movies while raising funds for the outlet.

In order to produce the newsletter’s next edition, the Connecting Sebastopol team behind the project, through Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre, is putting on a screening of recently-released film Runt at Showbiz Cinemas.

BNC community engagement officer Emily Macdonald said the event will be their first fundraising effort for the initiative.

“We don’t have any funding at all for the newsletter so we’re completely reliant on paid advertising and donations,” she said.

“We initially had a grant to start up the newsletter though the [State Government’s $5 million] Spotlight on Sebastopol program which ended at the end of last year.

“The idea for this came about because I attended a film fundraiser for Twin Hearts which my sister’s involved in and I thought it’d be good for us to give a go.

“It’s also another way for Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre to connect people and provide something for the community to do.”

The featured film, based on Craig Silvey’s eponymous book, was released earlier this month and tells the story of Annie and her titular canine companion Runt’s competing in a London-based dog show in order to save their family farm.

Ms Macdonald estimated about 3600 copies of the newsletter’s previous edition were printed at a cost of about $2300. About 15 to 20 volunteers help deliver the publication.

Ms Macdonald said the newsletter has provided a great benefit for Sebastopol and surrounds.

“We’ve had great feedback and community members are keen to keep it going,” she said.

“They love to see what different groups, people, and businesses are doing within the community.

“There can be some negative connotations about Sebastopol, so I think this is helping to show that it’s actually a great place to live with lots of great things to get involved with.”

The Connecting Sebastopol team also hosts community meetup sessions, with the next slated for 10.30am on Friday 4 October at the Sebastopol Fire Station.

Tickets to the film fundraiser, which takes place this Sunday at 2pm are $17 and can be booked at bit.ly/3Bc8NKy.