The Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said a $6,000 grant for the West Tamworth Sports and Bowling Club will assist in the construction of disabled access to toilets and fitting of new lights for the greens.

Currently, the Club does not have facilities to accommodate patrons and members who require the use of a disabled bathroom facility.

Mr Joyce said the Club is used on numerous occasions each week and month, hosting functions, bowls days, dinners and a variety of community-orientated events.

He said the submission for funding also outlined the need to improve lighting over the greens at the Club.

The lights in their current condition do not allow the use of the greens at night, and the combination of the addition of a disabled toilet and improved lighting would deliver a safe community asset for Tamworth.

Mr Joyce said the contribution of volunteer organisations like West Tamworth Sports and Bowling Club were the life-blood of any community.

He said there were about 2.4 million volunteers in NSW and the work of these often selfless people was not properly acknowledged.

“These volunteers don’t seek any acknowledgement, for them the reward is a strong sense of community and giving back,” he said.

“Volunteers and their organisations are the foundation of our community and without organisations like the Lions, Red Cross, Country Women’s Association, Rotary, and the Salvation Army, towns and cities right throughout the electorate would just be a collection of houses,” he said.

The grant was made possible by the Coalition’s Stronger Communities Programme, which funds projects that improve local community participation and cohesion and contribute to vibrant and viable communities.

West Tamworth Sports and Bowling Club Vice-Chair, Heather King, Barnaby Joyce, Chairman, Bob Hennessy and Director, Terry Kelly.