GRANTS MADE IN 2015-16

The Board of the Primary Club of Australia is pleased to advise $178,000 in grants were paid or committed to the following organisations, consistent with our charter to provide sporting and recreational facilities to people with a disability.  (All in NSW unless advised otherwise.)

• Blind Sports & Recreation VIC - adaptive sporting equipment
• Empower Golf, The Ridge GC - paragolfer unit for Sutherland hub
• Fresh Tracks Foundation - for recumbent bikes for Newington Armor Hub
• Lake Illawarra High School - ineractive touch screens and accessories
• Post Phillip Specialist School VIC - basketball towers
• Rainbow Club - beach wheelchair
• Riding for Disabled, Booyong - four horse shelters
• Sailability - trailer to transport two Hansa Liberty boats
• Sargood Foundation, Collaroy - gym equipment for new centre
• Special Olympics - shirts and caps for annual cricket festival
• Trytons Cricket, Randwick - player shirts
• Wheelchair Sports - four all-sports wheelchairs (part of Liesl Tesch's Sir Roden Cutler Award)

Katie Kelly named Sir Roden Cutler Awardee 2016/17

Para-triathlete and Rio gold medallist, Katie Kelly OAM was selected from five amazing athletes as the winner of the 2016/17 Sir Roden Cutler Award at the Primary Club of Australia's Marathon Cricket Dinner on Thursday 16th February at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Katie, with her support group, has established the Sport Access Foundation to assist people with a disability with access to sport and recreational facilities.  Her $20,000 grant from the Primary Club will be directed to this organisation. On Friday morning, Katie was interviewed on the ABC Breakfast program.  Hear her amazing story by clicking here. In the photo here, past winner Liesl Tesch is presenting the Award to Katie (centre) with NSW Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres MP. The other four finalists each received a finalists medal from Life Member Daphne Benaud:  Ryley Batt OAM (Wheelchair Rugby, Port Macquarie NSW), Matt Bugg (Sailing, Lindisfarne TAS), Carol Cooke AM (Cycling, Melbourne VIC), Michael Lyddiard (Triathlon, from Townsville QLD)

Some of Australia’s best athletes named as Sir Roden Cutler Award finalists

Five of Australia’s most inspiring athletes with a disability, including Paralympic medallists and an Afghanistan War veteran, have been named as finalists in The Primary Club’s Sir Roden Cutler Award.   Among the 2017 finalists is Ryley Batt OAM, a four-time Paralympian and dual Paralympic gold medallist in Wheelchair Rugby, and Carol Cooke AM, a three-time gold medal winning Paralympic cyclist.   Also included as finalists are Paralympic sailor Matt Bugg, Paralympic gold-winning paratriathlete Katie Kelly, and endurance athlete and Australian of the Year finalist Michael Lyddiard.   The winner, to be announced at a major dinner at the Sydney Cricket Ground next Thursday night, will receive a $20,000 grant for sporting and recreational equipment to be given to an organisation they choose which reflects the Club’s charter.   Jim Maxwell, president of The Primary Club of Australia and legendary cricket commentator, said the finalists are an inspiration for not only people challenged with a disability, but the broader community too.   “What makes these five athletes worthy of being finalists in the Sir Roden Cutler award is their sporting accomplishments, their sheer determination to overcome their challenges and their tireless efforts to encourage other people living with a disability that they too can reach their dreams,” Mr Maxwell said.   The 2017 finalists in the Sir Roden Cutler award are:

• Ryley Batt OAM, a four-time Paralympian in the Australian Wheelchair Rugby Team that has won two consecutive gold medals in London and Rio, who delivers Paralympic awareness talks and mentors young people with disabilities.
• Matt Bugg, has a sailing world championship and a silver medal from the Rio Paralympics in the 2.4m class, who tirelessly works with sailors with disabilities in Tasmania by coaching and providing technical advice.
• Carol Cooke AM, the winner of three Paralympic gold medals in cycling at the 2012/2016 Paralympic Games, who gives motivational talks to young women and founded the MS 24 Hour Megaswim which has raised over $7m for those living with Multiple Sclerosis since 2001.
• Katie Kelly, a gold medal winning Paratriathlete, who provides inspiration to young children with Usher’s Syndrome and founded the Sport Access Foundation to provide grants for disabled people to be involved in sport.
• Michael Lyddiard, Afghanistan War veteran who after being severely injured in the line of duty has competed in triathlons, cycling, and distance swimming, who is an Ambassador for the Veteran Charity "Soldier On" and a finalist in the 2017 Queensland Australian of the Year awards.

  The Sir Roden Cutler Award, established in honour of the Primary Club’s first Twelfth Man and Patron and the longest-serving Governor of New South Wales, recognises athletes with a disability who display enormous determination and dedication in their sporting pursuits, inspire the nation, and are the embodiment of the Australian spirit.   A portion of the grant this year comes from the Royal Australian Mint that will donate part of the proceeds from the recently released limited edition Richie Benaud 50 cent collectible coin, after it heard of the Primary Club of Australia from Daphne Benaud while she assisted with the coin’s creation.   Richie Benaud was a foundation member of the Primary Club when it formed in 1974 and was its Twelfth Man and Patron from 2002 to 2014.   Royal Australian Mint Chief Executive Officer Mr Ross MacDiarmid said: “The Royal Australian Mint is proud to contribute to Richie Benaud’s legacy by not only releasing this special commemorative coin but also supporting the Primary Club of Australia and the athletic industry with a contribution of proceeds towards this inspiring program.”   Media contact:          Peter Laidlaw 0419 210 306   About The Primary Club: For more than 40 years, The Primary Club of Australia, with support from the cricket-loving public, has been committed to helping many of the four million Australians with disabilities lead a more active and inclusive life. A cricket-based charity, we have provided more than $6 million of equipment and facilities for organisations that support people with disabilities. It works with other leading charities in the disability sector to identify community needs and ensure all of the funds it raises delivers a positive outcome for people with disabilities. Since its establishment, The Primary Club of Australia has funded projects ranging from specialist playground equipment for young children with disabilities through to sporting equipment for people with disabilities participating at the elite level of sport. All donations by the Club are made to other registered charities.

2017 CALENDAR on sale now!

Members will be keen to snap up copies of the NEW 2017 PRIMARY CLUB OF AUSTRALIA CALENDAR!  The calendar features the Maasai Cricket Warriors from Kenya who visited Sydney and Bowral in February 2016.  The Warriors played several matches at Marathon Cricket at the SCG, and learned how to play Aussie Rules football. Single copies are $25 each including postage and handling; or you may buy in bulk at $200 for 10. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar will continue to assist the development of cricket in rural Kenya. For more details and to order online, click here.  Or call Anja at the office on (02) 9980 2525.

JIM MAXWELL’S NEW BOOK – “THE SOUND OF SUMMER”

Here's a great Christmas present idea!  Purchase Jim Maxwell's latest book, his personal memoirs titled "The Sound of Summer", via the Primary Club at the RRP of $46.95 including postage and handling within Australia; and by agreement with the publisher, all the proceeds will go to the Primary Club's charities. For more information, and to order one or more copies, go to this link.

2015-16 – Annual Report now available

2015-16 - Annual Report

Other links: Previous Annual Reports   Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting was held at the Queen Street Lounge, Woollahra Hotel, 116 Queen Street, Woollahra, on Wednesday 26th October.  

Annual Report 2015-2016

The Primary Club of Australia Annual Report 2015/16 is now available to download. Click here to download the Annual Report: Primary Club of Australia - 2015-2016 Annual Report   This 6 Mb version is suitable for reading online and printing at your leisure.    

The Financial Statements 2016

The audited Financial Statements for 2016 are now available. Please click here to download a copy. 

We’re The Superhumans | Rio Paralympics 2016 Trailer

Have you seen this amazing clip

We're The Superhumans | Rio Paralympics 2016 Trailer

Primary Club of Australia May 2016 Newsletter

The May 2016 Primary Club of Australia Newsletter has been published.

It's available in a number of formats. Download the smaller 3Mb version here    Alternatively a larger 13 Mb version is available here (13 Mbs - higher quality) We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter.  

RICK GLOVER OAM

Richard John Glover was recognised in the Australia Day Honours List with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for 'service to charitable organisations and to the community'.  Rick joined the Primary Club in 1980, became a Board Member in 1982 and has served continuously since, including 18 years as Honorary Secretary to 2007.  Rick volunteers for a wide range of Primary Club activities, not least of which the very successful Sydney Test Match Breakfast, Marathon Cricket at the SCG and the Special Olympics Cricket Festival at Bowral.  Rick would not be able to provide this service without the constant support of wife Pam, and three daughters Katrina, Jo and Georgi!

Sydney Morning Herald – Video clip

http://media.smh.com.au/video-sport/video-cricket/maasai-cricket-warriors-at-the-scg-7181372.html   

Maasai Cricket Warriors at the SCG (02:36)

Sonyanga Ole Ngais speaks about the similarities between cricket techniques and hunting methods and how his Warriors side uses cricket to create awareness of social issues.    

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