NOT FOR PROFIT
The Mansfield Bush Market is a not for profit organisation, with a strict policy on not procuring services from current members. We pride ourselves on transparency and simplicity.
So where do surplus funds go then? We have always existed for the benefit of the community, and in 2023 we'll be trialling a model of running every market as a collaboration between us and an assortment of local community organisations, for the express purpose of raising funds for one of their projects. They help us to put on a great market for you, and you help them to fund a local project that otherwise wouldn't have had a look in. Simple!
Best of all we'll be posting the impact of this new model all over social media. It's humble brag for the market, but also a way to highlight some great new causes in case you want to get involved with them, and acts as a layer of accountability between us the community we all live in.
Community Funding
Total $ Funded in since 2023...
$18,822.27
Early Years Road Safety
The Mansfield Bush Market was able to support Mansfield Community Cubby House, who support 187 families throughout the Shire! This critical life support system allows so many of us all to go to work and and keeps the gears of our town moving - doctors, nurses, accountants, hospitality workers - you name it.
Cubby House is a non-profit and completely community run early childhood Education and Care centre. Last year the parent committee got together a ‘big dig’ where many parents got their hard yakka on and got their hands dirty digging in a new bike track. There was also a huge fundraising round which allowed for a FAB new bike track covering to be professionally put in complete with road dividing lines.
Cubby applied for funding to take it one step further to get four new bikes, street signs to teach road safety awareness and to install WORKING TRAFFIC LIGHTS! The funding from our HUGE easter market (and your patronage) allowed us to donate just under $2500 to make this possible.
Quilts with Love
We're so proud to announce the very first grant of the year. - 'Quilts with Love'. High Country Quilters Mansfield.
We have this amazing organisation right here in town that supports the mental health and wellbeing of our community members whilst doing great things for the world.
The High Country Quilters work diligently year round to provide custom made quilts to disadvantaged kids through organisations such as the Southern Cross Kids Camp, children with cancer either locally or through Monash Children's Cancer Centre or otherwise through parents and their families.
The quilters work for up to 30 hours to make a single quilt with materials donated by group members and the Mansfield Mens Shed.
We were so happy to provide $2000 towards materials to help this great organisation make a difference.
Play Time Improved
We’re proud to announce that Mansfield Kinder received $2000 in new play equipment for the kiddo’s to climb, play, and well… learn to be patient and share with other.
Mansfield Kindergarten is a not for profit organisation that has been built by our local families over the past 67 years and they are so much more than a daycare.
Mansfield Kindergarten strives to empower children, by using their thoughts and ideas, social interactions and reflection with others. Children are encouraged to question and formulate ideas. Educators seek and value children’s comments, points of view and ideas encouraging alternative perspectives, representations, opinions and conclusions. Active dialogue between children and educators involves listening, waiting and responding. They encourage each child to reach their full potential in accordance with their individual ability. In essence - the Mansfield Kindergarten is the first step of so many of our little ones into becoming beautiful young members of our community who feel confident to have ideas, share them, and look after each other and can I tell you that I’ve never seen such a happy lot of munchkins double-stepping to get to school faster than outside this place? They LOVE it!
Mansfield Kindergarten applied for funding for play equipment which will not only provide more opportunities for the kids to play in both yards simultaneously but will mean the educators have to do less heavy lifting to haul things around between the front and back playground.
We can only imagine life is hard enough with 20+ 3 and 4 year olds and it’s just one less problem they need.
The equipment is ordered and slated to arrive before the next term starts. We can’t wait to be embarrassed trying to walk the plank ourselves.
In June 2024 we partnered with Mansfield Kindergarten again for a fundraiser they were holding and raised another $2000.
Jamieson Wildlife Shelter
Local hero Cathy Raeburn works three jobs to keep her wildlife shelter viable. Whenever there's a question of who to call there's she's one person who is always available. She has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife for over 20 years, 7 days a week, and all year round.
Cathy says it is rewarding on some days, but sad on others.
Mansfield Bush Market is proud to support the Jamieson Wildlife Shelter to assist with paying for medical expenses, feed and formula, repairs to fences, fuel, and other transport costs.
For this wonderful cause we donated $2000 and would love to contribute more in the future.
Mansfield Mens Shed
With only 24 hours notice our King's Birthday market was moved to Erril St. With the support of local businesses, the Mansfield Mens Shed offered 15 amp power which was vital for our food businesses to trade. Food not only makes the market, but cancellations can be devastating as ingredients have been paid for and prep has been done.
We thank the Mansfield Mens Shed very much for their help and contributed a $500 donation to assist with their general operations.
We look forward to working with the Mansfield Mens Shed in the future. What a bunch of legends!
Mansfield Social Table Tennis
Mansfield Social Table Tennis has been able to provide social table tennis for all to enjoy. They cater for all age groups promoting Table Tennis as a medium for exercise and mental wellbeing.
Their equipment was starting to get old and was in need of an upgrade for safety and usability.
They endeavoured to expand the availability to the community helping young people and not so young adults enjoy this medium. Currently they have an average of 20 people and use three tables two of which require upgrading.
A fourth table tennis table will allow more players to play as well as and the ability to offer extra sessions. Keeping people moving and supporting loneliness is at the top of their agenda.
Mansfield Social Table Tennis were fantastic, helping us put out signs in the morning while we were flat-chat with the last minute change.
We are proud to donate a brand new 'Stiga Performance Indoor CS Table Tennis Table' and freight to the value of $1085.95 and look forward to working with them again in the future!
Mansfield Living with Parkinson’s Support Group
The Mansfield Living with Parkinson's Group provide monthly respite and get together for people in the Mansfield area who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease and their carers.
The Mansfield Bush Market help support the Living with Parkinson's Group to maintain their regular meetings and offer friendship and support locally. We are proud to have donated $2000 to this cause.
Mansfield Autism Statewide Services
We are proud to have donated $2000 to Mansfield Autism Statewise Sercices for Callum Gunn's 'Ngurrak prehistoric forest' project.
Callum has a long term plan to plant a 'prehistoric forest' on nine acres allocated to him at the MASS farm in Ogilvies Road. Planted over three stages and each stage six years apart, Callum proposes to use 100 different species of ancient trees.
The area will include a pond, a creek, pathways, seating and picnic areas to encourage people to explore the forest. Callum hopes this will ultimately attract interest from locals and visitors.
Traffic Management Certificate - Supporting local events
The Mansfield Bush Market proudly hosted training to support other community events under troublesome and expensive new legislation which requires event co-ordinators, many of whom are volunteers, to undertake expensive training in order to put out traffic management signs. While this has never been an issue in the past, the new legislation, enforced by council, left many events potentially becoming unviable under the weight of having to hire traffic management companies for up to $2000 per event, including the Mansfield Bush Market.
The Mansfield Bush Market invited community groups and local event operators to gain this qualification, allowing them to continue the good work they do running their community events. The cost of the training was $1090.91, and we thank MACE very much for providing space in the Community Shed for the day to host us free of charge.
Rosehaven Hospice
Rosehaven does so much more than provide compassionate, community-based palliative care and providing important relief for those who require constant care, along with the families that support them. Rosehaven provides their space and equipment to the community at large, and go way beyond their remit.
Rosehaven has become an important part of our community and we are proud to have donated $1000 to support Rosehaven in supporting the community.
SES Mansfield
We're so grateful to the incredible work all of our SES volunteers do for the community and those who are in need of urgent assistance. The SES attend the market (free of charge of course!) to raise awareness and funding and we're proud to have supported them with $1000 in direct donations so far.