We greatly appreciate the generous support these organisations have shown and I warmly welcome their involvement.

The Bathurst Cycling Challenge is gaining popularity each year with registrations already at double the number we had this time last year.

The event will be held over two days on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22. It includes the Blayney 2 Bathurst that consists of a 70km short course and a 110km long course. The 110km course is again a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, one of only two qualifiers in Australia.

This year’s UCI Gran Fondo World Championships will be in the Italian city of Varese (Lombardia), a city well-known for cycling and which hosted the championships in 1939, 1951 and most recently in 2008.

The Bathurst Cycling Challenge also consists of the Hill Climb at Mount Panorama, Crit Racing within the CBD and a Family Fun Day.

Proctor Park fields

THE reconstruction work to the three football fields at Proctor Park is nearing the final stages with the installation of turf under way on field one.

A masterplan for the ongoing staged development of the Proctor Park football precinct was developed in consultation with Bathurst District Football. The plan identifies significant capital investment into the future growth of soccer in the community and the region.

The field reconstruction works will provide the community with football fields that conform to national standards, with the ability to cope with higher usage. 

The fields will have substantial in-field drainage and an efficient irrigation system in addition to new goal posts, fencing, lighting and player benches.

COMMUNITY organisations can now apply for the next round of funding for local projects under the NSW Government’s Infrastructure Grants program.

The grants support new or upgraded community facilities across sport and recreation, arts and culture and emergency preparedness.

This funding comes from the Club Grants Category Three program, which enables registered clubs to reinvest profits from gaming machine revenue to benefit communities. 

Applications for the next round of Infrastructure Grants are open until Monday, February 19. Visit www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/Pages/about-us/our-initiatives/infrastructuregrants.aspx 

Scholarship program

THE NSW Government has doubled the number of financial scholarships on offer for disadvantaged young people to stay in school and reach their education and training goals.

Worth $1000 a year, the scholarship funds can be used for expenses like textbooks, course costs and computer equipment.

Students are eligible to apply if they are: 

• Living in social housing, on the NSW Housing Register, receiving private rental assistance or living in crisis or supported accommodation or out-of home care.

• Studying in year 10, 11 or 12 at a NSW high school or TAFE, undertaking a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship or studying a Vocational Education and Training (VET) subject at school in 2018.

• An Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Scholarship recipients can get financial support for over seven years – from year 10 until the completion of tertiary education. Applications close February 23. Visit www.facs.nsw.gov.au/education.