LBF NSW - A Year in Review of Building Sustainable Business Communities

Welcome to our latest edition of the Local Buying Foundation (LBF) eNews. The focus of the last quarter (Oct-Dec) for the LBF has been to continue supporting and funding events and initiatives which build on the capacity and capability of our local businesses across the Singleton, Muswellbrook & Upper Hunter regions.

The continued success of the Local Buying Program (LBP), has enabled the LBF to support 14 projects with a total value of $356,254 injected back into local business communities in New South Wales.

During 2019, LBF engaged consultants SC Lennon & Associates to complete an entity review of the Foundation. Recommendations from the review have led to the development of the new LBF Model, which is effective from January 2020.

Changes are currently underway with our governance, application processes and our website functions, however, the strategic intent of building local businesses capability and capacity for the future remains.

Thank you to the Local Buying Foundation Advisory Committee members for your commitment and support of the Foundation.

Due to our LBF Model, Expressions of Interest to form our Local Buying Foundation Advisory Committee, in line with our Foundation Charter, will be issued from Monday, 5 February 2020 with EOI’s closing Tuesday, 11 February 2020.

I wish to welcome Melissa Wescott, who has been appointed as the LBF Chairperson for NSW and QLD. Melissa brings to the Foundation a wealth of knowledge of both the LBF and the LBP as a director of C-Res.

Local Buying Foundation funding recipient, Singleton Community Training Kitchen opened on 11 November 2019.

The Singleton Community Training Kitchen is a joint venture with Singleton Business Chamber, Singleton Shire Council and Singleton High School to provide the students of Singleton High School the opportunity to complete their VET work experience locally.

Students will be able to assist not only in the café, but internal and external catering, giving them a wide range of hospitality work experience.

C-Res CEO Tracey Cuttriss-Smith visited the café on Wednesday 13th November 2019 with Singleton Business Chamber president, Sue Gilroy, C-Res Business Development Manager, John Aurisch & C-Res Business Development Advisor, Lisa Harpley for a coffee and tour of the kitchen to see how the Local Buying Founding funding has assisted the Singleton Community Training Kitchen with their new floors and dry storage.

The Business Centre was recently successful in receiving funding through the Local Buying Foundation to provide three series of Business Development Masterclasses at a subsidised cost to local businesses.

The first of the series was held on 20 November 2019 and covered digital marketing for small businesses, planning out their marketing and campaigns.

On 3 December, The Business Centre held the very popular masterclass on Xero, moving from knowing the basics to the next level.

The final of the masterclass series was focused on digital marketing through paid advertising with Facebook, Google search engine marketing and providing tips to small local businesses on how to optimize their advertising campaigns online.

Christmas is a time to come together and celebrate achievements and partnerships from throughout the year and Mt Arthur Coal’s end of year stakeholder event was exactly that.

Mt Arthur Coal’s new General Manager, Adam Lancy, welcomed stakeholders to the event with an introduction and overview of each stakeholders' impact to Mt Arthur Coal.

Adam spoke about the achievements of the Local Buying Program and Local Buying Foundation and the financial impacts both have had on the local community. Adam added that the venue, catering and everything for the evenings event was sourced through the Local Buying Program.

The Local Buying Foundation has introduced a new LBF Model and Charter effective 1 January 2020. The Foundation is seeking Expressions of Interest from incorporated/registered regional economic or business groups and cross-regional industry organisations (3 positions from non-mining related industries that cross multiple shires) located within the Muswellbrook, Singleton and Upper Hunter Shires to form our Local Buying Foundation Advisory Committee. EOI's open from Monday, 5 February 2020 and will close Tuesday, 11 February 2020.

For further information on the EOI process, visit www.localbuyingfoundation.com.au or contact
Lisa Harpley on 0409 835 607.

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Our mailing address is:
Local Buying Foundation
PO Box 1721
Mackay QLD 4740

Australia