Visitors to the Jerrys Plains Community Hall will be impressed with the newly upgraded stage curtains thanks to a joint donation between Yancoal Australia’s Ashton and Mount Thorley Warkworth (MTW) mines, Glencore Coal’s United Wambo Joint Venture and Hunter Valley Operations.
The Jerrys Plains Community Hall is a focal point of the village and local district and was built off the back of local fundraising over many years. The hall is used by Jerrys Plains Public School, the ToyBox group, on election voting days and for many other local community functions and celebrations. It is managed by ten committee members who all volunteer their time to keep it running efficiently.
The $18,000 joint donation between the miners covered the supply and installation of two royal blue curtains and a new track and pulley system, which is strong and robust.
Maureen Pratt, President of the Jerry Plains School of Arts Hall was delighted with the new curtains.
“The Community Hall is very popular with the local community hiring it out for activities, productions and events, and we only have a small budget to keep it clean and insured.
“The previous curtains were old, torn and out-of-date in terms of Australian fire-retardant standards therefore we recognised the immediate need to replace them.
“Additionally, when the hall is used for theatrical productions the stage curtains can bring an extra sense of magic to performances, so it is vital they are visually appealing.
“We are thrilled with the new grand wool curtains. They are plush, create atmosphere, divide the stage, assist with controlling sound and look fantastic.
“Also importantly, the new curtains meet the fire-retardant standards, so we are very thankful to the local mines for their donations.”
| The donation was celebrated at a special event with an unveiling of the new stage curtains and acknowledgment of the mine’s contribution. “The Jerrys Plains Community Hall plays an important part in our community, bringing people together for group activities, social support, information sessions and theatrical productions. Our Community Support Program is designed to help make a positive difference to the people that live in our local community and by helping fund this upgrade to the hall, we hope it brings delight to people in our area and can be enjoyed for many years to come,” Michael Bartlett, Ashton Coal Operations Manager. “We’re proud to contribute funding for new curtains at the Jerrys Plains Community Hall which both enhance safety and create a more inviting atmosphere for the community. We understand the hall’s significance to the local community, so it’s fantastic to be able to support its improvement,” Aislinn Farnon, United Wambo Joint Venture Environment and Community Manager. “In small villages, such as Jerrys Plains, community halls and the arts play an important role in bringing the community together, providing entertainment and social support. These community halls have limited budgets but must meet often costly standards for safety and have properly functioning equipment to put on a show. HVO’s community grants program provides funding for smaller scale projects that struggle to fund community projects that are important to improving health and wellbeing, community capacity or the environment,” Andrew Speechly, Hunter Valley Operations Environment and Community Manager. |
Image caption: Aislinn Farnon (Glencore); Phillip Brown (Yancoal); Brian Atfield (Jerry Plains Community Hall); Andrew Speechly (HVO), Gary Mulhearn (Yancoal).
