Northside Chapel Community Church leader Rex Taylor says his organisation will benefit hugely from a jumping castle it will be able to purchase, thanks to the $500 grant it won from Westpac Forbes. Mr Taylor and his wife Rachel organise and operate the chapel with a volunteer team. The chapel runs children’s after school programs
for all primary school aged children each Wednesday afternoon, and church services on Sundays.
In addition to this, it hosts a family fun day periodically on a Sunday. The chapel runs two after school programs each Wednesday- an earlier one for the younger children, and one later for the older ones.
Mr Taylor drives a bus which picks up and takes home children after their after school programs, and with the chapel only making money from donations, it is hard for it to make big purchases.
But one of these hopes was to buy a jumping castle for its children, and this will now be possible.
“This money will provide the opportunity to purchase something the kids will enjoy, and hopefully can use it to provide entertainment for whole families,” said Mr Taylor. The venue is leased from Forbes Shire Council, but lots of community groups use it, and Mr Taylor said this would make the jumping castle an even better community asset.
“We’re now looking around for the right jumping castle and once we’ve found one we will be ready to purchase it. The kids are greatly looking forward to getting one,” Mr Taylor said.
“It will be great for the kids as a form of entertainment, but we want to get more parents and families involved and the jumping castle will help that too.”
With Westpac celebrating 200 years next year, regional branches in NSW were giving away $500 to community groups in need.
By Joshua Matic