Addressing food insecurity is a high priority for the Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre, so we are very grateful to the Community Bank Buninyong for sharing our ‘Fruity Forest’ vision.
Located in the Sebastopol Community Garden along Spencer Street, our first “Fruity Forest’ will involve five metres of fruit trees, underplanted by berries, herbs and other edible plants. As the orchard grows, community members will enjoy picking a piece of fresh fruit for themselves and their children.
The grant application process involved more than just applying and waiting, as so many applications do. After applying for a Community Bank Buninyong grant, our Executive Officer, Vicki Coltman, was invited to pitch our idea at the Bank’s first ‘Spark Tank’ event.
Held at the Buninyong Town Hall, this all-of-community event saw ten selected community groups pitch for their share of up to $50,000 of community investment funding on the one night.
