$55-million Fund a welcome boost for sports: Saffin

"General Manager Football Far North Coast Steve Mackney says 'sport connects communities' and it sure does. It ticks all the boxes."

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has welcomed a $55-million Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund to help local sporting organisations impacted by floods in February and March ‘get back in the game’.

“General Manager Football Far North Coast Steve Mackney says ‘sport connects communities’ and it sure does,” Ms Saffin said.

“It ticks all the boxes; fitness – physical and mental, teamwork, healthy competition, socialising, volunteerism, a sense of belonging.

“We are a sports-loving community who all love to play, watch, cheer on those we want to win and play out how we could have done it better.”

The NSW Government’s latest flood recovery fund will support the repair and reconstruction of flood-damaged sports facilities across our Electorate of Lismore and the Northern Rivers region.

“Week in, week out, sport brings together thousands of local people of all ages for social or serious competition, and this is integral to maintaining physical fitness and mental health,” Ms Saffin said.

“When people miss out on their sport due to prolonged wet weather, or cannot access regular facilities due to the flood damage we’ve experienced, it leaves a gaping hole in their lives. So I welcome this future injection of funding.”

The Sport Infrastructure Recovery Fund will open for applications mid-year, with councils and sporting organisations eligible to apply for funding. For more information on the Fund, visit: www.sport.nsw.gov.au/preview-link/node/910/cf3cb703-d066-488e-aa1e-7421125eb6a2

HARD HIT: Pictured outside the flood-damaged South Lismore Football Club are Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, Football Far North Coast GM Steve Mackney, NBN News cameraman Paul Vidler and reporter Josephine Shannon. Photo: Harry Gregg.