Since the ‘Share a Scone to Help our Hall’ event in March, Mossman’s Country Women’s Association (CWA), along with Bendigo Bank and Cairns Community Enterprise has been hard at work drumming up support for the project.

Cairns Community Enterprise, an initiative of Bendigo Bank, has already committed $20,000 to the project, and with the combined total of funds raised now in excess of $70,000, the estimated $100,000 needed to complete the project is one step closer.  

Mossman CWA Branch President Helen Assman has been integral in getting the project up and running and identifies that the refurbishment will benefit many people in the local community.

“Our kitchen needs renovating so that we can continue to cater for community events, but our priority is to make the hall, and in particular the toilets, wheelchair accessible to ensure the hall can be used by the whole community. 

“We are hoping to have the renovations completed in time for the 100th birthday of our beloved hall piano later this year,” Mrs Assman said.

With only an additional $30,000 needed, Cairns Community Enterprise Chairman Stephen Devenish is encouraging other local groups, businesses and politicians to jump on board and throw their support behind the campaign.

“The CWA is such an important asset to our local community, and the hall is used by a wide range of groups from Mossman and the surrounding communities,” Mr Devenish said.

Bendigo Bank Mossman Branch Manager Darren Killeen said the Bank was always looking at ways it could give back and strengthen the local community.

“Since we established the Cairns Community Enterprise in 2009, more than $700,000 in banking profits has been given back to the community to fund local groups, clubs, projects and events,” Mr Killeen said.

"Giving back to local communities and supporting the things that they care about most is just one way that Bendigo Bank is fulfilling its commitment to be bigger than a bank by focusing on the good that money can do."