TAC rewards road-safe clubs

THE Lake Wendouree and Redan football netball clubs have both been awarded Club Rewards Program grants from the Transport Accident Commission.

Valued at $10,000, the cash are a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the grassroots sporting groups for their commitment to spreading road safety messages with their communities, and to assist them with pandemic financial recovery efforts.

Redan FNC vice-president Tracey Boyce said their funds will be used on the development of infrastructure at the Western Oval, the Lions’ home ground.

“We’re currently working on a project to build a digital scoreboard,” he said.

“As a club, we have 31 teams that compete each season, and also AusKick and NetSetGO. We reach 700 families and through the journey of life, far too many of them have been touched by road trauma.

“It is largely avoidable, so anything we can do by using that base of people to get road safety messages across is a very positive thing.”

TAC head of road safety Samantha Cockfield said AFL Victoria has been partnering with the Commission for 30 years as sporting clubs are “the heart of all Victorian communities.”

“It’s really important for us to be able to work at a community level to get our road safety messages across, whether it’s learners practicing for 120 hours, making sure that drinking and driving messages are getting through, or just talking about issues such as fatigue on long drives,” she said.

“We know that community football and netball clubs can assist us in getting those messages out… but they have been suffering through COVID, not only impacting practice and enjoying the game, but fundraising.”

Daylesford and Lexton football netball clubs are also receiving $10,000, while Springbank has been allocated $6000, and Buninyong, Carngham-Linton, Waubra and Hepburn have been given $5500.

The Ballarat Football Umpires Association has also has received $1000 through the program.

Head of AFL Victoria Brad Scott said the TAC’s support of community football is “incredible.”

“The Club Rewards Program is yet another major show of support. Clubs, participants and volunteers will benefit tremendously, with the financial boost made all-the-more important, given the challenges so many clubs and communities have faced in the past 18 months,” he said.