On Sunday 9th of April, Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre held their first Easter Fun Day fundraiser in partnership with Belgravia Foundation. The community were invited to participate in lots of fun and family friendly activities for a small gold coin donation. The contribution would later be evenly divided between two charities, Belgravia Foundation and Good Friday Appeal, to support very worthy causes.

The fabulous activities included:

·       Pool party with inflatable games to celebrate the closure of the summer pools

·       Easter egg hunt for the kids…and big kids

·       Guess the number of eggs in the jar for the chocolate addicts

·       Classic sausage sizzle on the BBQ

·       Hot cross bun station

·       30-minute group fitness classes for anyone who wanted to try something new

·       Mega raffle with incredible prizes

The team at Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre worked with generous local stakeholders to secure some amazing items to be included in raffles and activities spread throughout the centre. The day would not have been as special without the below community champions. Belgravia Foundation and Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre would like to say a heartfelt thank-you to:

·       Portland Mitre 10

·       Seawinds Nursery

·       Garden Life Nursery

·       Interflora Flowers Worldwide

·       KnS Precious Products

·       Daly’s Portland IGA

·       JJ’z Balloons, Flowers and Things

·       Surf, Ski & Skate Voyage

·       A Little Decorum

·       The Upper Cut Butchers

·       Reject Shop staff

·       Sugar Sugar Candy Co.

·       Kmart Hub

·       Welcome Home Giftware

·       Portland Bakers Delight

·       Admellas Fruit ‘n’ Veg

·       Abbortsford Beacon Lighting

·       Davis Print

·       Cheree and Steve Brown

·       Speedo

·       Zoggs

Another BIG thank-you to the Glenelg community for coming together and raising $1,682.30. For many, this would have been the first-time hearing of Belgravia Foundation and learning about its purpose to ensure no one misses out on the opportunity to participate in leisure. The money raised from the Easter Fun Day will go directly back into the Portland community to provide aquatics program for the local Indigenous community.

In the weeks prior to the Easter event, Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre held its first Community Network Forum, in which local stakeholders and community champions were invited to the venue to share insights about who is missing out in the community and how we can work together to remove barriers to participation. Through discussions at the forum and mutual interests, Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre will collaborate with Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service and Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation to co-design future programs to support pathways to participation in aquatics for First Nations people. The money raised during the event will help make ideas come to life.

Belgravia Foundation and Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre were so pleased with the Easter Fun Day event they hope to make it an annual celebration with the Glenelg community.