FREE RESILIENCE EVENT FOR BRAIDWOOD BUSINESSES

Written by Gordon Waters on September 8, 2022

Braidwood business owners will learn how to prepare for future disasters while building their community networks at a free event in Braidwood on Wednesday [September 14].

corporate2community (now Resilient Ready) director Renae Hanvin will talk about the innovative Business Community Resilience (BCR) Toolkit program, while several other community groups will outline initiatives they have established to help build resilience in the Braidwood community.

“If the disaster events of this year alone have taught us anything, it’s that we must be prepared for the worst because the worst is possible,’’ Ms Hanvin said.

After the 2019-20 bushfires, C2C brought Braidwood Servicemen’s Club, Braidwood FM radio station and Braidwood Old Sunday School Hall together to collaborate on a grant application to build the people and places in Braidwood in preparation for future disaster impacts.

Representatives from each of those organisations will attend the Showcasing Disaster Resilience event to outline the projects they are implementing. Representatives from the local Chamber of Commerce, Braidwood Community Bank and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council will also speak on the night.

“These organisations have taken the first steps to doing disasters differently by choosing to collaborate rather than compete, working together to build local community and business resilience.

“But more businesses need to join the groundswell to be truly effective for the wider Braidwood community.’’

Business owners and managers can learn how when Ms Hanvin presents some of the themes from the Business Community Resilience (BCR) Toolkit program available to all businesses in Braidwood (and throughout Southern NSW).

A free online program to help businesses prepare for future disasters and disruptions, the BCR Toolkit is delivered through 26 learning modules to empower them to prepare, connect and build resilience.

The Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund (BCRRF) project is funded through the joint Commonwealth/State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement and available until September 30 for any business in eligible LGAs across Southern NSW.

corporate2community (C2C), now Resilient Ready, is a certified social enterprise that delivers innovative solutions to enable businesses to thrive before, during and after disasters.

“Our purpose is to help organisations get ahead of disasters, and we’re doing that by driving a new ecosystem in business community resilience,’’ Ms Hanvin said.

“We truly believe building business community capabilities will save lives and livelihoods in our communities, strengthen community networks and contribute to global wellbeing.’’

The Showcasing Disaster Resilience event will be held at Braidwood Servicemen’s Club function room, Victory St and Coronation Ave, Braidwood, at 5.30pm on Wednesday, September 14.

Registration: www.eventbrite.com.au/e/showcasing-disaster-resilience-in-braidwood-tickets-409732519997.