Community News

Cooking (safely) with gas for another 3-years


22 JUN 2020

Energy Safe Victoria will provide community football clubs with access to $30,000 in funding as part of the Energy Safe Victoria Safer Canteen Grants Program.

AFL Victoria is thrilled to announce that one of the state’s longest running community football partnerships is set to continue into an 11th year, with Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) extending their commitment to the grassroots game for an additional three-seasons.

ESV will invest $90,000 over the next three years in its Safer Canteens grants program, which provides grants of up to $1,000 to football and netball clubs across Victoria to replace old and sometimes dangerous equipment in their club canteens.

The partnership will support community football during this difficult year and into 2022, boosting local regional and suburban economies

Since 2018, Safer Canteens, has provided funding for 57 clubs around the state to allow them to replace old or inefficient gas and electrical appliances with new and safer appliances.

At the same time as investing in community clubs, the program promotes energy safety awareness at the local level.

Clubs can apply for up to $1,000 to replace old or faulty electrical or gas appliances in their canteen, with applications opening on June 22nd 2020.

In announcing the extension of ESV’s partnership with AFL Victoria for a further three years’, Director of Energy Safety Marnie Williams expressed her delight that ESV can continue to support grass roots sport in Victoria.

“Football and netball clubs are often the backbone of small communities and while they are unable to play now, we know they will come back and we want to play our part in ensuring their ongoing success.”

“ESV is proud to stand by community football and build on our long-standing partnership with AFL Victoria. Through the Safer Canteen grants program we want to ensure the safety of canteen volunteers and the community by helping them purchase safe new gas and electrical appliances.”

Head of Community Investment and Strategic Relationships at AFL Victoria, Rick Bell, praised the “tremendous show of support” from Energy Safe Victoria.

“We’re thrilled to announce the extension of our partnership, and during times such as this, Energy Safe Victoria’s commitment to supporting AFL Victoria is a great boost to entire football community.”

“Obviously these are testing times for everybody, but this partnership is a fantastic example of the sort of collaboration that will go a long way to ensuring that community footy is able to overcome the difficulties of the current climate.”

To apply for a Safer Canteen grant visit esv.vic.gov.au/AFL-canteen-grants or aflvic.com.au.