The paid lifeguard service on Tathra Beach has been extended throughout February for the first time through a Tathra Chamber of Commerce initiative, funded by local businesses and, in part, by a Southern Phones Mayoral Grant.

Southern Phone chairman Bill Hilzinger was in Bega on Friday to hand over $25,000 to Bega Valley Shire Mayor Michael Britten, with the money to be divided between nine groups including the Tathra lifeguard service.

Other groups to benefit from a share in the $25,000 are the Bega Bombers Aussie Rules Club and Bega Showground Trust in a joint application, Candelo Karate Dojo, Four Winds, Wolumla Memorial Gates Rededication Trust, Stonewave Taiko, Reaching out Foundation,  the Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project, and the  Eden Community Access Centre.

“Hundreds of local residents will enjoy the improvements that these groups can make to our community thanks to this grant from Southern Phone,” Cr Britten said.

“This grant has enabled some important projects to ‘get off the ground’ in our local area.

“Some of which had been well planned and partially funded by the community, but just needed some extra financial support to bring the plans to life.”

The Candelo Karate Dojo, Bega Bombers and Showground Trust plan to use their funds to purchase defibrillators, while Stonewave Taiko is looking to add to its drum collection.

Meanwhile, Four Winds has plans for music workshops at its impressive Barragga Bay site and the Reaching Out Foundation is looking to train volunteers.

At Wolumla, the Trust has plans for a memorial park, while Pambula Wetlands will purchase fauna monitoring equipment and IT training is on the cards for the Eden Access Centre.

More than $1million has been offered across 41 mostly regional council areas in NSW as part of a new Southern Phone community grant initiative.

“We are very pleased to be able to provide this funding boost and glad to be able to make a difference in these regional areas,” Southern Phone managing director Mark Warren said.

“This $1million funding boost has seen community gardens, playgrounds, shade structures, sporting fields and more built or improved all over NSW and we are thrilled to be able to support regional communities in this way.”

A public company, Southern Phone was formed in 2002 and is owned by 41 local councils, each of which has an equal shareholding.

The company is based in Moruya and employs more than 135 staff.

The funding provided through the Southern Phone Grants is in addition to the dividends Southern Phone already pays each year to shareholder councils.