News
November 2009
Some of the things the BGCCI has been actively involved in this
year:
- 'Shop Local' posters to remind people to support local
businesses.
- 'Double your money' shopping docket receipt scheme --
monthly winners got up to twice the value of their original
purchase back; helped support local businesses.
- Posters showing which local organisations and clubs are
supported by our local businesses. 'Everyone suffers if local
businesses fail'.
- Community Cash vouchers
kept thousands of dollars (donated by the Lions Club to the
bushfire victims) in the town.
- BGCCI submission to the Shire regarding the CBD parking
upgrade has saved five parking spots in Hampton St.
- Assisted those having difficulty with getting planning or
building applications approved.
- Long and protracted negotiations between the BGCCI and the
IGA franchise office finally led to another food outlet in town
stocking IGA specials and products.
- Used an email network to keep BGCCI members up-to-date with
BGCCI activities and upcoming plans and changes.
- After years of negotiation with the Shire, the area behind
the shops (alongside Geegelup Brook) will have an access road
built.
- At least one Shire Councillor attends every BGCCI meeting to
relay ideas and suggestions back and forth.
And this is all for just over $1 a week!
How to join the BGCCI...
August 2009
From the Executive Committee Minutes:
- Building permit problems with the Shire? Forward details to
the BGCCI secretary who will compile
them and forward them to the Shire CEO.
- Thanks to the Lions Club for purchasing
Community Cash Vouchers for the
victims of January's bushfires. By distributing aid in this way,
residents and absentee landholders will spend the money locally
thus helping all our businesses.
- Community Cash Vouchers are
no longer available from IGA. Other distribution venues to be
announced.
- MiniMart now offering IGA specials until stock situation
with Bridgetown IGA is resolved.
- Businesses can enrol to vote in local government elections.
Use Form 2B if you rent your business premises; use Form 2A if
you own the premises -- forms are available from the
Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire Offices. "If you don't register,
you can't vote. If you can't or don't vote, then don't
complain!"
July 2009
- We held a successful 'meet and greet' evening at the
Bridgetown Hotel on July 29, 2009:
- Our first guest speaker, Tim Clynch
(Shire CEO), spoke about the Hampton St upgrade.
- Our second guest speaker, Martin Graham (http://livingcommunities.com.au),
spoke about the pilot program they are intending to run with
a small, medium and large West Australian community in order
to make it as self-sustaining as possible. Bridgetown would
be classed as a medium-sized community.
- About 30 local business people attended this event,
where we publicly thanked the local Lions Club for their
generous purchase of Community Cash Vouchers for delivery to
the January bushfire victims.
- Thanks to Nick and the team at the Bridgetown Hotel who
provided the venue, wonderful finger food, and drinks.
- New 'Shop Local' initiative: For a limited time only, you
can win up to a $100 Community
Cash voucher! How? Spend $10 or more in one transaction in
one of our local businesses between July and 31 October 2009, write your contact details on the back
of your receipt, and drop it into any of the Super Service Award
boxes. One prize will be drawn each month. The prize will be twice
the value of the transaction (rounded to the nearest $5), so if
your receipt is for $21.37, you could win a prize of $40. The
maximum prize amount is $100.
- Other recent achievements of the BGCCI have been:
- agreement with the Shire Council to negotiate a
bitumised roadway between Geegelup Brook and the rear of the
shops on the west side of Hampton St
- negotiated with the Shire Council for lower time frames
for obtaining building planning permission
- 'Shop Local' poster campaign to encourage the
community to shop in our towns, and thus keep the money here
so that our businesses can in turn support and sponsor
community teams, events, and initiatives
- quiz on local knowledge run in 'The Mailbag'
- handed out sample Community Cash Vouchers for local
participating businesses to display in their windows.
- Redesigned and relaunched this website, which had not been
updated since 2004. The redesign was done as a volunteer project
by Rhonda Bracey of
CyberText Consulting Pty Ltd.
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