A NEW, state-of-the-art kitchen is a dream for many keen cooks, and the small town of Boggabri has won just that.
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It will receive $12,000 worth of Euromaid appliances, plus $10,000 for benches and cabinetry, from The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation 2017 Community Kitchen Grant.
Boggabri Showground and Public Reserve Trust secretary Kerry Thomson, who submitted the winning application, said it felt “like winning the lottery”.
“We are so grateful to have won,” Ms Thomson said.
“Our town is in desperate need of a kitchen and this will be really positive for the community, because we use our showground so often.
“It’s fantastic that a remote regional centre gets this opportunity, especially for our children who can’t get into the city easily, so it’s going to be well appreciated.”
The RAS grant scheme aims to improve the kitchen facilities that are often at the hub of community events.
The appliances were used for professional cooking demonstrations during the Sydney Royal Easter Show in the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome.
RAS Foundation executive officer Kate Ross said almost 60 applications came in and the calibre of entries was high.
“It was tremendously difficult to choose a winner, as there are just so many worthy communities,” Ms Ross said.
“Boggabri’s application demonstrated an active, close-knit community able to achieve great things with a fabulous new kitchen.
“A key factor was that the kitchen will receive broad use by different community groups and can attract new groups or events, resulting in additional revenue streams for local organisations.”
The charitable RAS Foundation encourages educational opportunities and helps build strong, sustainable rural and regional communities through targeted grants and scholarships.