Tucker Tent delivers funding to Meredith

SOME grassroots groups throughout Meredith have each received a $19,000 boost to their coffers.

Meredith Community Tucker Tent has distributed $152,000 this financial year after the Meredith and Golden Plains festivals.

Beneficiaries included the town’s memorial hall, primary school, kindergarten, cricket, tennis, masters football and golf clubs, and more.

Meredith Primary School will use the majority of its money on its swimming program.

“Having that funding come through every year means that we can heavily subsidise those costs for families,” acting principal Rachel Combridge said.

She said the assistance allowed for 100 per cent attendance.

“Which is fantastic because we know that even access to things like swimming lessons and swimming pools being in Meredith, it’s difficult for families,” she said.

Combridge said the fundraising the tent did was important.

“It’s a game-changer for our students and the things that they can access,” she said.

Martin Peters, chair of the Meredith Community Tucker Tent, said the operation brought in money from outside the area.

“Running fundraisers in a small community is generally asking locals to dig deep to fund their own facilities,” he said.

“The great thing about the tucker tent is that we provide a service to festival goers in the form of wholesome, affordable food; whilst generating an otherwise unachievable amount of money for a small community.”

He thanked the tent’s committee of management, treasurer David Osborne, and secretary Jackie Ferry, who handled purchasing.

“What’s really important that we mention is that none of this would happen if it wasn’t for the generosity of the music festival letting us do this,” he said.