Six local football and netball clubs will gain funding for their work to prevent road trauma during the recent winter season.
Senior clubs of Bunyip, Hill End, Ellinbank and Poowong as well as Warragul Blues and Garfield junior football clubs were amongst 233 clubs announced to be sharing in $600,000.
Clubs can allocate funding to education, transport, equipment, uniforms or facility upgrade initiatives.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne said the successful sports clubs started conversations and raised awareness of speeding, with this year's tagline "Show up for your team. Slow down on the road."
"Football and netball clubs are at the heart of our communities and we are fortunate to have so many people campaigning to prevent road trauma," Ms Horne said.
Each of the 233 clubs will receive up to $10,000 through the state government and Transport Accident Commission (TAC) funding program, which is delivered in partnership with AFL Victoria.
The funding program aims to encourage clubs to engage with players, members and their communities on key road safety issues and promote safe behaviours.
Ms Horne said about 40 per cent of successful applications came from regional Victoria, where serious road trauma was highest.
She said players, officials and supporters at regional clubs often travel long distances on high-speed roads to get to training and games, and their leadership was crucial to preventing road trauma.
TAC chief executive officer Tracey Slatter thanked local football and netball clubs for being road safety ambassadors and caring for their communities.
"The power of peer-to-peer support, leadership and education cannot be underestimated," Ms Slatter said.
As well as wearing blue armbands and welcoming local police officers to their game, Warragul Blues Junior Football Club produced a video where young players who asked what road safety meant to them during the special TAC Road Safety round in mid-July.
They were just one successful local applicant, with any AFL Victoria-affiliated club invited to apply by showing how they supported road safety throughout the year.
"The TAC club rewards program is one of the most important initiatives for community football clubs across the state, providing a fantastic avenue for clubs to actively contribute to the safety of their community and generate valuable funding in the process," AFL Victoria's Greg Madigan said.
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TAC funding forsix sports clubs
Nov 19 2024
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