Hi Members

The GREAT Association (Gisborne Region Events Activities and Tourism Association) have kindly committed to funding the replacement of all the clubs perpetual trophies that were lost in the fire. The cost is in the region of $6,000, which is a massive donation for the club. 

THE GREAT ASSOCIATION INC.

The Gisborne Region Events Activities and Tourism Association Inc. (GREAT) is a not-for-profit community fund-raising organisation, run by volunteers for the purpose of helping the local community. Each year, 50% of its funds are donated back to the community.

The GREAT Association Inc. was formed in the year 2000, and in 2002 it took over the running of the Gisborne Olde Time Market. Managing the market is the main activity of the GREAT Association. The GREAT Association is managed by an elected Committee who meet monthly and who hold an Annual General Meeting in November each year.

The primary functions of the Committee are to manage the market and to decide where to allocate funds within the community; currently these funds amount to approximately $50,000 p.a. Several hundred thousand dollars raised by the Gisborne Olde Time Market have been distributed in the form of grants in the last decade alone. Activities supported by GREAT include:

· Promotion of tourism and events in the Gisborne and surrounding area

· Improvement of facilities in Gisborne: paths, historical plaques, information bay, barbeque rotunda, seating, picnic tables etc

· Grants to community groups based in and around Gisborne, for special projects and events, to enable them to continue their work, etc.

Some of the community groups that have benefited in recent years are:

* SES

* CFA

* Gisborne Scouts

* New Gisborne Scouts

* Gisborne Food Bank

* Gisborne Chaplaincy Fund

* Gisborne Cemetery Trust

* Gisborne Golf Club

* Gisborne and District Lions Club/The Gisborne Christmas Festival

* Major sponsor of the Macedon Ranges Grand Tour

* Gisborne Singers

* Rotary

* Gisborne Mens’ Shed

* Macedon Community House

* Mount Macedon Dawn Service

* Gisborne Aquatic Centre

GREAT maintains a small office in the Gisborne Community Centre; we are co-located with Windarring. This office is leased from MRSC.

The Gisborne Olde time Market has been successfully run in Gisborne for over 50 years, except for Covid-19 intervention. It was initially established with the objective of purchasing an ambulance for Gisborne. After that was achieved, its objective became the funding of donations to recipients i.e. worthy organisations in need throughout the community, and the improvement of public facilities.

The market is run on the first Sunday of every month except January. There are 11 markets per year (no market in January) and it is open from 9AM to 2PM. The location is in the service roads near the corner of Hamilton and Aitken Streets. The numbers of stallholders is approximately 160.

Stallholders pay a fee to set up at the market each month. The market is organised by a volunteer Market Manager on the day, and many unpaid volunteers assist the manager during the month and on the day. CFA volunteers often also assist on the day, with ingress control etc. However we are always looking for more volunteers, as our current volunteers are not getting any younger!

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