It is always feels particularly great to be back at Camberwell on Sunday following a lockdown. The sights, smells, sound and tactile nature of browsing the market are a sensory delight. It makes us appreciate the simple things in life we can so easily take for granted: the simple pleasure of a stroll through the market can lift the spirit.

Sometimes is is easy to forget that the simple act of gathering for the market is in itself an act of generosity. Visitors know their gold coin donations go to worthy projects and charities through Rotary, but, in addition to entry donations, stall fees generate funds that also support a wide variety causes.

One such initiative is the Market’s contribution to the Annual Community Strengthening Grants program of the City of Boroondara. The grant program provides up to $10,000 in financial support for new, one-off projects and equipment costs associated with delivering projects and the Boroondara’s community.

The grants are the result of a unique partnership between the Rotary Club of Balwyn and the City of Boroondara, made possible by Rotary’s Camberwell Sunday Market and the community of Boroondara. A percentage of the stall fees from the market is distributed through the Annual Community Strengthening Grants.

Total funding available each year is subject to variation, depending on Council’s annual budget allocation and the contribution of the Rotary Club of Balwyn. In 2020/21 the Council recommended 61 grants totalling $292,405.07. This would not be lpossible without the visitors and stallholders to Camberwell Market… thank you!

Click HERE to see the list of grant projects recommended for funding. The list of community groups and organisations supported in the 2020/21 allocation include:

• Alfred Road Kindergarten
• Ashburton Bowls Club Inc
• Ashburton Community Centre
• Ashburton Traders Association
• Ashburton Uniting Church Tennis Club
• Australian Iranian Society of Victoria (AISOV)
• AVA Boroondara Senior Citizens Group Inc
• Balwyn Community Centre
• Balwyn Cricket Club
• Balwyn Evergreen Centre
• Barking Spider Visual Theatre
• Boroondara Stroke Support Group Inc
• Camberwell Community Centre Inc
• Camberwell Kindergarten and Childcare Inc
• Camberwell Petanque Club Inc
• Canterbury Area Toy Library
• Chinese Seniors Cultural Association Inc
• Circular Economy Victoria
• Community Music Victoria
• Connected Community HackerSpace Inc
• Craig Family CentreDance for Parkinson’s Camberwell
• Earth Crusaders Incorporated
• Greythorn Traders Association
• Hartwell Tennis Club Inc
• Hawthorn Amateur Football Club (HAFC)
• Hawthorn and Kew Bands Inc (Glenferrie Brass)
• Hawthorn Artists Society
• Hawthorn Citizens Youth Club – Calisthenics Section
• Hawthorn Tennis Club
• Horizontes PWC
• Kew Historical Society Incorporated
• Kew Home of Chinese
• Kew Junction Business Association
• Kew Toy Library Inc
• Maling Road Business Association (MRBA)
• Melbourne Comhaltas Inc
• Mens Probus Club of Surrey Hills Inc
• Mind Australia
• Mont Albert North Probus Club Inc
• NCJW (Vic) The Social Support Trust
• Pied Piper Toy Library Inc
• Probus Club of Chatham Inc
• Probus Club of Greythorn Inc
• Probus Club of Maling Combined Inc
• Probus Club of North Balwyn Inc
• Riversdale Soccer Club Inc.
• South Yarra Football Netball Club
• South Yarra Junior Football Club
• St Stephens Greythorn Cricket Club
• Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre Inc
• Swinburne Amateur Football Club
• The Boite Vic Inc
• The North Balwyn Village Traders’ Association
• The Probus Club of Balwyn Central Inc
• The Probus Club of Kew
• The Scout Association of Australia, Victorian Branch
• Trentwood at the Hub
• Victorian YMCA Community Programming – Junction Skate and BMX Park
• Villa Alba Museum Incorporated