Cessnock Leagues Club proudly distributed $101,193 among 17 deserving organisations at its 2026 ClubGRANTS presentation, recognising local initiatives that will make a meaningful difference in our community.

The ClubGrants Category 1 Fund supports projects and/or services that contribute to the welfare and broader social fabric of our community, including community welfare and social services, community development and community health services.

The grant recipients were announced at a presentation at Cessnock Leagues Club on Friday, August 14. This year’s recipients and their projects included:

  • Youth off the Streets: $10,000 to deliver engagement and support for young people experiencing disadvantage in the Cessnock LGA.
  • Hunter Prelude: $10,000 to provide free, inclusive playgroups for children aged 0-5 and their families.
  • The Rotary Club of Cessnock: $8,000 to provide free breakfast and lunch one day a week to the homeless, needy and vulnerable in the Cessnock LGA.
  • St Vincent de Paul Society NSW: $7,500 to deliver material assistance for Vinnies Crisis Support Programs for individuals and families in the Cessnock LGA.
  • Girls Who Roar: $7,450 to deliver a 6-week online empowerment program to 50 teenage girls from local high schools.
  • Got Your Back Sista: $6,693 to deliver Begin Again – 360 Approach: providing holistic, wraparound support to women who have experienced domestic and family violence
  • Hunter Food Relief Centre: $6,500 to serve meals and groceries to people in need.
  • Coalfields United Amateur Swimming Club: $6,500 to deliver the club’s Specialised Aquatic Inclusion and Neurodiversity Project, by upskilling a team of volunteers and senior mentors.
  • Carrie’s Place Domestic Violence & Homelessness Services: $5,000 to provide support to individuals and families in the Cessnock and Kurri Kurri areas who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
  • Foodbank NSW & ACT: $5,000 to provide school holiday food hampers for children experiencing significant financial hardship in the Cessnock LGA.
  • PCYC Cessnock: $5,000 to provide subsidised passes and essential equipment for PCYC Cessnock’s school holiday program.
  • We Care Connect: $5,000 to provide emergency care supplies for Cessnock families affected by family violence and homelessness.
  • Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation: $5,000 to help deliver transport to treatment for breast cancer patients from the Cessnock LGA.
  • Inspiring Hope: $3,500 to deliver the Be That Girl: VITAL Leadership Academy program to girls and young women in the Cessnock LGA.
  • Prostate Survival Alliance Inc: $3,000 to provide free information and counselling services to locals affected by prostate cancer.
  • The Rotary Club of Cessnock: $2,500 to provide a free BBQ for the children who attend PCYC Cessnock’s U-Nites program, every Friday night.
  • Newcastle Rugby League: $2,500 to deliver gambling awareness and education programs to the local rugby league community.
  • Cessnock City Library: $2,050 to deliver ‘Cessnock Bot-Squad’: Robotics kits to help improve local young peoples’ access to emerging technologies.

Cessnock Hospitality Group president Bruce Wilson said the club was proud to help these organisations to continue their valuable work in the community.

“Clubs not only provide entertainment for their members; they also provide much-needed help for those in the community for the wonderful work of our volunteers,” he said.

“The community owes a debt of gratitude to all those who put in the effort to make our community a better place.”

Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Rotary Club of Cessnock secretary Penny McNaughton said the support of ClubGrants makes an “extraordinary difference” to projects like theirs.

“I can honestly say that without the support of ClubGRANTS, many of these community programs simply wouldn’t exist in the form they do today,” she said.

“As recipients, we know these grants are about far more than the dollar amount. They are an investment in people.

“Every grant awarded today represents someone who will receive a meal when they are hungry, a young person who will have a safe place to go, a family who will receive support during difficult times, someone living with illness who will know they are not alone, or a community project that will improve the lives of countless local residents.

“Together, we are making Cessnock a kinder, more connected and more compassionate community.”

(Read Penny’s full speech at the end of this article).

The Cessnock LGA ClubGRANTS 2026 Program – which also includes Hunter Valley Sports & Social (previously ECBC Sports), Kurri Kurri Bowling Club, Greta Workers Club and Weston Workers Club – handed out a total of $240,740 across 32 projects, with some projects co-funded and others funded by individual clubs.

Next year’s ClubGRANTS Fund will open on February 1, 2027. Find out more at https://www.cessnockleagues.com.au/the-club/community-support/

ClubGRANTS 2026 Recipients Response – The Rotary Club of Cessnock

Good morning, everyone.

Firstly, on behalf of all of this year’s ClubGRANTS recipients, I would like to sincerely thank Cessnock Leagues Club, the Cessnock Hospitality Group, the participating clubs, the ClubGRANTS Committee and everyone involved in making this wonderful program possible.

My name is Penny McNaughton, and I have the privilege of serving as Secretary of the Rotary Club of Cessnock.

The Rotary Club of Cessnock has been privileged to receive ClubGRANTS funding over many years, and we’ve seen firsthand the extraordinary difference these grants make. They don’t just fund projects, they create opportunities, restore dignity and change lives.

Most recently, ClubGRANTS has enabled us to provide free breakfasts and lunches each week for people experiencing hardship across the Cessnock Local Government Area, and to continue providing a free barbecue every Friday night at PCYC’s U-Nites program, where young people can enjoy a meal in a safe and welcoming environment.

I can honestly say that without the support of ClubGRANTS, many of these community programs simply wouldn’t exist in the form they do today.

As recipients, we know these grants are about far more than the dollar amount. They are an investment in people.

Every grant awarded today represents someone who will receive a meal when they are hungry, a young person who will have a safe place to go, a family who will receive support during difficult times, someone living with illness who will know they are not alone, or a community project that will improve the lives of countless local residents.

The organisations represented here today are incredibly diverse. We each have different missions and different ways of serving our community, but we all share one common purpose, to make life better for others.

Behind every organisation are dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters who quietly give their time, skills and compassion without expecting recognition. They simply see a need and step forward to help.

As a Rotarian, I’ve learned that volunteers are ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things. Looking around this room today, I know I’m surrounded by people who have devoted countless hours to making our community stronger, kinder and more inclusive. That is something worth celebrating.

We also recognise that these are challenging times. The rising cost of living has placed enormous pressure on individuals, families and community organisations alike. Demand for services continues to grow while fundraising becomes increasingly difficult.

That makes today’s support even more significant.

The confidence that Cessnock Leagues Club and the participating clubs place in our organisations is something we never take for granted. Your generosity allows us to plan ahead, reach more people and continue delivering services that make a genuine difference.

One thing I’ve learned through Rotary is that community isn’t built by governments or organisations alone. It’s built by people helping people.

ClubGRANTS simply gives us the tools to do a little more of that, and for that, every one of us here today is incredibly grateful.

Community clubs have always played an important role in regional Australia, but ClubGRANTS demonstrates something even more powerful. It shows what can be achieved when clubs, volunteers and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

To everyone at Cessnock Leagues Club and the participating clubs, thank you for believing in local organisations. Thank you for recognising that every dollar invested creates opportunities, builds resilience and strengthens our community.

To my fellow recipients, congratulations. Every organisation represented here today should be incredibly proud of the work you do. The impact of your efforts isn’t measured only in statistics or annual reports. It is measured in changed lives, renewed hope, smiling faces and knowing that someone cared enough to make a difference.

Together, we are making Cessnock a kinder, more connected and more compassionate community.

On behalf of every organisation represented here today, thank you once again for your generosity, your partnership and your unwavering commitment to our community.

We are honoured to receive your support, and we promise to put it to good use.

Thank you.

Penny McNaughton

Secretary

The Rotary Club of Cessnock