General News
30 March, 2024
Social shop idea earns funding
A SHARED shops trail to strengthen communities could include Boort and Pyramid Hill. The Midura-based Rural and Community Ltd has been awarded $20,000 by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal to establish the trail. Executive director...
A SHARED shops trail to strengthen communities could include Boort and Pyramid Hill.
The Midura-based Rural and Community Ltd has been awarded $20,000 by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal to establish the trail.
Executive director Patrick Timmons hopes the trail will have social enterprise shops in Donald, Hopetoun, Boort and Quambatook and says he is keen to speak with Pyramid Hill about its plans for a social hub bringing together local micro businesses.
Mr Timmons says the trail will make communities prepared and resilient to the impacts of drought.
He said the shared shops trail also aimed to strengthern co-ordination of professional, social or community networks.
Mr Timmons pointed to the success of a shared shop in Sea Lake a decade ago that was now home to 10 local micro businesses.
“They are all independent but glued together,” he said.
“The FRRR funding will allow us to explore the possibility of a share shop in Boort and I hope to have a catch up in Pyramid Hill to talk about the possibility of including them in the trail.
“The idea is to build networks now for when there is the next drought when towns will be under pressure.”