Administered by the Augusta-Margaret River Shire, the Community Development Fund supports groups and organisations with grants of up to $1000.

Recipients from this round included the Margaret River Uniting Church, who received $750 to support its English Club.

The club, which began with five members last winter, was established to provide an opportunity for the many international visitors working in the district to practise speaking English in an informal setting.

It quickly gained momentum, attracting up to 37 people from Korea, France, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan, Germany, Hong Kong and the Philippines to its weekly gatherings.

The club meets at the Uniting Church at 6.30pm each Thursday.

Members have a snack before breaking into groups to practise conversational English, usually centred on an aspect of Australian culture.

“The church also has an advantage of having the facilities for us to put on a meal occasionally,” coordinator Barbara Maidment said.

“We were very pleased to get the grant and will use the money to purchase language material and some equipment for the kitchen.”

The Margaret River Bess home and community care group, which assists aged and disabled people to continue living independently in their own homes, was also a beneficiary of a grant, receiving $1000 to purchase equipment.

“We are very grateful for this grant as it will assist us to become better equipped to offer this much needed service,” Bess spokesperson Myriam Tate said.

Other recipients from this round of funding included the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Augusta’s St John Ambulance, Global Care, Alexandra Bridge Bush Fire Brigade, CWA Rosa Brook, Margaret River Concert Band, St Vincent de Paul, and the Augusta Chamber of Commerce.

The next round of community development funding will be launched in September.

• For more information contact Shire community development administration officer Rochelle Booth on 9780 5233.