Clubs & Community Awards – Your local club

DOOLEYS Lidcombe Catholic Club

Education

For funding a pilot program with the Child Abuse Prevention Service to deliver personal safety lessons to kids. The $80,000 investment delivered the lessons to children aged 3-7 in preschools and childcare centres, while parallel sessions equipped parents and educators with critical knowledge about grooming behaviours, disclosure responses and mandatory reporting. The pilot was independently evaluated by the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, which reported increased confidence among educators, clearer protective strategies among parents and stronger rights awareness among women and girls.

Campsie RSL

Education

For facilitating the evidence-informed Mental Fitness 4 Life pilot program at Granville Boys High School, resulting in a 20% reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. The initiative also saw a 65% increase in attendance and a 70% drop in negative incidents, with students reporting they felt more supported, confident and connected. The Club invested in respected mentors including Paul Langmack, Matt French, Phil Gould and Joe Tau to deliver the program, combining trusted role models with practical resilience training.

Holman Barnes Group Wests Ashfield

Education

For breaking down financial and social barriers to higher education through its University Scholarship Program. The initiative was fully funded, designed and championed by the Club, providing full tuition, exam fees, textbooks and study-related costs for the duration of each recipient’s university degree. The support is paired with paid employment across Holman Barnes Group venues and structured mentoring from senior managers, giving students real-world experience alongside academic progression. The Club partners with Ashfield Boys High School, Burwood Girls High School and St Vincent’s College to identify outstanding students who show academic talent, resilience and leadership potential but face socioeconomic disadvantage.

Campsie RSL

Education

For facilitating the evidence-informed Mental Fitness 4 Life pilot program at Granville Boys High School, resulting in a 20% reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. The initiative also saw a 65% increase in attendance and a 70% drop in negative incidents, with students reporting they felt more supported, confident and connected. The Club invested in respected mentors including Paul Langmack, Matt French, Phil Gould and Joe Tau to deliver the program, combining trusted role models with practical resilience training.

Club Taree

Emergency Response

For helping to shelter locals during the 2025 floods, supporting more than 800 evacuees over eight days. With access roads cut and emergency services unable to reach the site, the Club shouldered the weight of the response. Club Taree’s team became first responders, counsellors, cooks, cleaners, medics, transport operators and emotional anchors. They provided five meals a day, created sleeping zones, cared for the elderly and disabled, played with children, triaged medical health needs, laundered clothing, managed communications and assisted with aged-care evacuations. Their leadership turned a crisis into a testament of community, courage and unwavering care.

Taree Aquatic Club

Emergency Response

For showing immense community spirit to reopen in just eight weeks after historic floods devastated the venue, causing more than $1.5 million in uninsured damage. Led by their indefatigable leadership team, the Club wasted no time getting to work after waters receded, shovelling mud, clearing debris and beginning the massive rebuild. The situation sparked the reactivation of the Clubs Helping Clubs initiative, with The Sailos receiving $166,404 in financial support from the club industry and essential equipment donations to assist in reopening.

Revesby Workers’ Club

Fostering Grassroots Sport

For their support of a program giving children in out-of-home care the opportunity to participate in community sport. These children often face financial hardship, disrupted schooling, trauma and limited support networks, making involvement in local sport extremely difficult. FosterCare FC removes these barriers by covering registration fees, uniforms, equipment and by coordinating communication between carers, caseworkers and local clubs.

Canterbury League Club

Fostering Grassroots Sport

For reducing financial barriers to rugby league and boosting participation through the Future Bulldogs program. Run in collaboration with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Canterbury Bankstown District Junior Rugby League, the program provides a $100 subsidy to local clubs for every registered Under 5 to Under 13 player who plays at least five games during the season. Last year saw a 20% uptick in registrations compared to 2024, with $247,200 reinvested to cover uniforms, equipment, insurance, prizes and administration.

Moorebank Sports Club

Fostering Grassroots Sport

For reducing the cost of local sport through the Junior Legends initiative, providing every under 18 with a $50 voucher to use on registration across five sporting codes. Families can redeem the discount directly with their club, covered in full by Moorebank Sports — ensuring immediate financial relief while supporting the sustainability of volunteer-run sports. Moorebank Sports also offers junior members monthly benefits that build connection and positive experiences.

Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL

Health Care

For funding sustained neonatal and perinatal support, improving care and outcomes for vulnerable families. Dating back more than a decade, this includes helping to establish the integrated Support After Infant Loss (iSAIL) Clinic at Royal Prince Alfread Hospital — the first multidisciplinary service of its kind in NSW. Among various other initiatives in this space, the Club has also funded specialised equipment at Canterbury Hospital to stabilise premature newborns. Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL remains committed to ensuring no family faces the NICU journey alone.

Maclean Bowling Club

Health Care

For playing a pivotal role in ensuring Maclean District Hospital continues to access modern, essential medical equipment to support the Lower Clarence community. When the Maclean United Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) was at risk of folding several years ago, Maclean Bowling Club helped rebuild it into one of the region’s most impactful volunteer organisations. With the Club’s ongoing support, the UHA has raised more than $80,000 and gifted $69,000 worth of essential equipment during the past two years in a region where the next hospital is over 50km away.

SS&A Albury

Health Care

For funding a purpose-built vehicle enabling paediatric nurses to deliver specialised care directly into family homes. The Club’s purchase of a professionally branded Subaru Forester for Albury Wodonga Health’s Paediatrics at the Child’s Home (PATCH) program has transformed how care reaches children who are clinically stable but require ongoing care. Since November 2024, SS&A Albury’s support of the PATCH program has provided more than 70 children with 170 days of home-based recovery.

Mingara Recreation Club

Health Care

For their pivotal role in delivering the Central Coast’s first dedicated palliative care unit. Mingara worked alongside the Lions Club of Wyoming East Gosford Centennial to ensure terminal patients could access compassionate, dignified care. The Club played a key role with cash injections, in-kind support and advocacy efforts — leading to a dedicated ward at Gosford Hospital in 2021. A paediatric palliative care ward was established in 2025, while a second palliative care unit at Wyong Hospital is set to open this year.

Maclean Bowling Club

Health Care

For playing a pivotal role in ensuring Maclean District Hospital continues to access modern, essential medical equipment to support the Lower Clarence community. When the Maclean United Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) was at risk of folding several years ago, Maclean Bowling Club helped rebuild it into one of the region’s most impactful volunteer organisations. With the Club’s ongoing support, the UHA has raised more than $80,000 and gifted $69,000 worth of essential equipment during the past two years in a region where the next hospital is over 50km away.

SS&A Albury

Health Care

For funding a purpose-built vehicle enabling paediatric nurses to deliver specialised care directly into family homes. The Club’s purchase of a professionally branded Subaru Forester for Albury Wodonga Health’s Paediatrics at the Child’s Home (PATCH) program has transformed how care reaches children who are clinically stable but require ongoing care. Since November 2024, SS&A Albury’s support of the PATCH program has provided more than 70 children with 170 days of home-based recovery.

Twin Towns

Heart of the Community

For funding a refrigerated delivery truck to distribute food to thousands of struggling local families. With the Tweed region facing one of the most severe food and homelessness crises in its history, Twin Towns — through its philanthropic platform Twinnies Gives — enabled the purchase of a brand-new 25-tonne Fuso Shogun for the Vibe Care Pantry charity. This doubled the organisation’s food distribution capacity, delivering life-changing outcomes.

Cabravale Club Resort

Heart of the Community

For making a dream come true for five-year-old Gabriella, a medical marvel who spent the first year of her life in hospital. Gabriella’s wish was to stay at a hotel and enjoy yum cha, so Cabravale Club Resort hosted her family at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta — giving them precious time together after years of separation. The Club, which celebrated 100 years of service in 2025, has also contributed heavily to initiatives supporting youth wellbeing, culturally diverse communities, veterans and families in need.

Easts Leagues

Heart of the Community

For generating more than $290 million in socio-economic value and supporting over 51,000 individuals across Sydney and beyond. Together with the Sydney Roosters, Easts Group invests in grassroots sport, youth pathways, homelessness services, veterans’ recognition, multicultural inclusion, disability advocacy, sustainability and emergency services support. The Group played a key role in launching Gadhu Gathering, a three-day celebration of Indigenous culture during NRL Indigenous Round.

Workers Lifestyle Group

Heart of the Community

Awarded to club volunteer Harold Becker, who has spent decades bringing comfort and connection to vulnerable members. A quiet, selfless man who became a Blacktown Workers member in 1971 and later worked for the Club, Harold assumed the welfare officer role when it was needed most. He conducts more than 200 welfare visits and attends over 100 funerals each year as well as supporting members in hospitals, aged-care homes, private residences and palliative care. Even after surviving a life-threatening cardiac event in 2025, Harold returned to his role with renewed purpose.

Cabravale Club Resort

Heart of the Community

For making a dream come true for five-year-old Gabriella, a medical marvel who spent the first year of her life in hospital. Gabriella’s wish was to stay at a hotel and enjoy yum cha, so Cabravale Club Resort hosted her family at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta — giving them precious time together after years of separation. The Club, which celebrated 100 years of service in 2025, has also contributed heavily to initiatives supporting youth wellbeing, culturally diverse communities, veterans and families in need.

Easts Leagues

Heart of the Community

For generating more than $290 million in socio-economic value and supporting over 51,000 individuals across Sydney and beyond. Together with the Sydney Roosters, Easts Group invests in grassroots sport, youth pathways, homelessness services, veterans’ recognition, multicultural inclusion, disability advocacy, sustainability and emergency services support. The Group played a key role in launching Gadhu Gathering, a three-day celebration of Indigenous culture during NRL Indigenous Round.

The Shellharbour Club

Mental Wellbeing

For helping to deliver early intervention programs that equip teenage boys with critical emotional and resilience skills. The Shellharbour Club partnered with Healthier Illawarra Men and Tomorrow Man to challenge outdated stereotypes about masculinity, hosting more than 60 workshops at schools, sporting clubs and community groups. Many participants have described the experience as “the best thing we’ve ever done”. The initiative is building a more connected and mentally fit generation across the Illawarra.

Club Lennox

Mental Wellbeing

For helping children reduce their screentime and reconnect with themselves and their community through the innovative Connection Club school holiday program. The affordable initiative, aimed at children 5-12, is designed to strengthen confidence, emotional regulation and resilience. Throughout four-hour sessions, participants take part in high-energy sport, teamwork and movement followed by breathwork, meditation, cooking workshops and a guided cold-plunge experience to teach calmness under pressure.

Urbenville Bowling Club

Small Club, Big Heart

For building a helipad and upgrading an access road for the rescue helicopter service and other first responders. Urbenville Bowling Club’s board, members and local contractors volunteered their time to complete the project, which has since been used hundreds of times in emergency situations. The Club has also installed a windsock, pole-mounted strobe lighting and, more recently, an LED system to illuminate the helipad at night. Volunteers continue to mow and maintain the surrounding area weekly, while the Club now hosts an annual charity bowls day to raise funds for the rescue helicopter.

Bondi Golf & Diggers Club

Small Club, Big Heart

For demonstrating extraordinary leadership through its partnership with Lifeline Bondi as the community reeled following the tragic events of December 2025. Recognising the deep distress across the area in the aftermath of the terror attack, the Club funded a full 12-month Crisis Supporter position on Lifeline’s 13 11 14 line — ensuring more calls from people in crisis could be answered in a time of unprecedented need. The Club has also supported several Lifeline fundraising initiatives including a charity golf day.

Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club

Social Inclusion

For supporting those affected by domestic and family violence by providing club-owned property for transitional housing. These residences offer immediate refuge while connecting families to a range of support services and long-term housing pathways. Such is the demand, the Club expanded the program with additional homes in 2026. The initiative is part of a broader response to domestic and family violence, including distributing Escabags, hosting DV Safe Phone collections and supporting prevention programs.

Club Maitland City

Social Inclusion

For supporting women and children escaping domestic and family violence across the Maitland region. Through its charitable CMC Foundation, Club Maitland City has contributed more than $123,000 alongside in-kind assistance to local organisation Carrie’s Place. Most notably, CMC Foundation committed $80,000 to fully furnish three new crisis-accommodation units in September 2025, ensuring people arriving with nothing have immediate access to safe, dignified spaces.

North Ryde RSL

Social Inclusion

For taking a bold approach to empowering victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, contributing more than $785,000 to related causes in 2025 through ClubGrants and community support. The Club has employed a deliberate and strategic focus on domestic and family violence prevention, crisis assistance and long-term recovery by partnering with a multitude of impactful local organisations and programs. Notably, in collaboration with RiZeUP, North Ryde RSL helped fully furnish seven homes for families escaping violent situations, while DFV training and awareness is embedded across all Club staff.

Pennant Hills Golf Club

Sustainable Future

For their work with NorthConnex to redirect 86 million litres of water annually, eliminating the need for drinking water to irrigate the course. An innovative system has been enabled through a horizontal bore beneath Pennant Hills Road, reducing environmental discharge, supporting biodiversity and preserving vital green space for the community. The collaboration is set to deliver lasting benefits for generations to come.

Cronulla RSL

Sustainable Future

For leading environmental sustainability in the club sector by investing in renewable energy, advanced waste systems, recycling initiatives and impactful community partnerships. Four independent solar panels have significantly minimised Cronulla RSL’s energy consumption and operating costs, while the Club also uses innovative technology including a glass crusher, cardboard compactor and food-waste digestor. In 2025 alone, the Club diverted 14.769 tonnes of food waste from landfill, reducing emissions by 8.1 tonnes of CO₂e.

Woodburn Evans Head RSL

Vibrancy & Culture

For transforming from near administration into a thriving regional cultural hub through live music and outdoor events. In 2021, Club Evans RSL began hosting not-for-profit music events on its underused riverfront land. The rebirth of its Riverfire Bar in 2024 then created an intimate performance space for nationally recognised artists. The launch of the River Stage has since expanded the Club’s capacity for major outdoor events, attracting hundreds of visitors and acts such as The Whitlams, Lisa Hunt and Thirsty Merc.

Barooga Sports Club

Vibrancy & Culture

For establishing a cultural tourism landmark with the creation of Bullanginya Dreaming — Australia’s first permanent ‘lunar light journey’. Opened in May 2024, Bullanginya Dreaming features a 5km all-abilities walking path, Indigenous storytelling, interpretive signage and a 1.8km night-time light and sound journey. More than 12,000 people visited in the first six months, affirming the site as a transformative regional asset. The Sporties Barooga co-funded the project — which had a total cost of $1.2 million — alongside the NSW Government and the Federal Government’s Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Program.