By Tanya Steele
The Healesville Traders Inc. has recently been one of the successful recipients of round two of the Trader Group led Recovery grants.
There were eight successful recipients from the second round of grants including Kallista Traders Group, Warburton CEDA, Monbulk Traders Association, Yara Valley Business Network, Healesville Traders Inc, Upwey Business Group, Lilydale Business and Trading Group, and Mooroolbark Traders and Community Group.
President Nina Sturgess of Healesville Traders said the group is thrilled to receive round two in the grants.
“We will primarily be using the money to hold some member events,” she said.
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor, Jim Child said these grants help support business groups to lead local recovery efforts – both economic and social – and work towards revitalising our townships and embedding a sense of connection and resilience in their communities.
“Our local businesses are at the heart of our communities, they play a vital role in creating spaces for the community to connect, and they have their finger on the pulse of what a community wants and needs,” he said.
The Healesville Traders is a newly formed group and has been using its first funding round to connect and establish itself.
Ms Sturgess said the group is still in the process of executing its initial collaboration and membership process.
“The second round of money is really for us to bear down and engage our potential members and do some activation around events and to continue to attract new membership,” she said.
The group would also like to plan for future promotion in Healesville and Ms Sturgess said this grant will be put towards the Christmas trading period.
“We plan to market the Healesville township as a destination for Christmas shopping and celebrations,” she said.
Ms Sturgess said the traders would also utilise the grant to help fund a business engagement officer.
“They would be a liaison point with the new members while we’re still in the establishment phase,” she said.
Cr Child said Yarra Ranges Council is thrilled to see that different groups are spread across the region.
“Each of our townships is unique, and local voices help us support the best choices for individual townships,” he said.
Ms Sturgess said the Healesville Traders Inc. hope to bring fresh enthusiasm to the Healesville scene.
“We’re hoping we can all work together to make people’s experience of Healesville and the Yarra Valley, a positive one so that people come back,” she said.
