OREANDA-NEWS. Coal & Allied has thanked its community partners and committed to continuing its support for the Hunter Valley at an end of year celebration event in Singleton.

More than 150 community partners attended the event held to recognise the many programmes that have delivered positive outcomes and strengthened the region in 2014.

Coal & Allied marked the occasion by announcing USD 3 million will be available through the Coal & Allied Community Development Fund over the next 3 years for projects that help build a more sustainable future for the Hunter Valley.

Coal & Allied Community Development Fund Executive Officer Travis Bates said "Coal & Allied is committed to a long-term future in the Hunter Valley and our community partners.

"We're proud to extend our funding to support projects that address community health and wellbeing, education, environment and land management, and economic development and diversification.

"The Coal & Allied Community Development Fund has invested more than USD 13.5 million so far to support over 120 diverse projects to strengthen communities in the Hunter Valley.

"The tremendous outcomes from this investment simply wouldn't be possible without of our community partners and I would like to thank them for their hard work to deliver their programmes over the years."

Singleton Business Chamber has received support from the Coal & Allied Community Development Fund through a partnership launched this year to recruit a Business Development Officer who will be tasked with growing the Chambers' presence locally as well as providing increased support to members and the opportunity to engage with more businesses.

Singleton Business Chamber President Ryan Fitzpatrick said: "Coal and Allied's contribution to the recruitment of this new resource is fundamental to the Chamber's success with supporting its many business members to support economic capacity in the area.

"A huge thank you to Coal & Allied for this funding. Organisations can only grow to the extent of their capabilities and this grant will allow the Chamber to go to next level to best support the business community in the region."

The Coal & Allied Aboriginal Community Development Fund invested more than USD 560,000 in 2014 and has 16 current projects.

Coal & Allied Aboriginal Community Development Fund Chairperson Paul Wand said: "We are proud of our many partnerships, including Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation who this year won a significant government contract and Warrae Wanni, who recently won the NSW/ACT Regional Achievement and Community Award."

Darryl Brock, a local Aboriginal inventor received a (USD 15,000) grant from the Aboriginal Community Development Fund to test his hydrogen cell at a specialist facility in Melbourne. The testing and results are critical to him being able to attract support for site trials and commercialisation.

"Coal & Allied has made it possible for me to put my hydrogen cell through rigorous, world class testing. Without it, it wouldn't be possible for me to progress my dream of manufacturing my product locally and creating jobs for Aboriginal people", Mr Brock said.

Many of the 36 students who received an education scholarship from Coal & Allied recipients also attended the celebration, including those awarded through the University of Newcastle, Royal Agricultural Society Foundation and Upper Hunter Education Fund.