Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has congratulated Beating Hearts of Lismore (auspiced by Northern Rivers Community Gateway) and Tweed Shire Council on securing $30,000 each under the NSW Government’s $840,000 Connecting Seniors Grant Program 2025. 

Ms Saffin says both grant recipients will use the State funding to support innovative projects that aim to reduce social isolation among older people in the Lismore district and in the Murwillumbah area. 

“They are among 28 organisations funded in this year’s Connecting Seniors Grant Program across categories including Aboriginal, Multicultural, Creation, Enhancement or Expansion and Local,” Ms Saffin says. 

“I’m particularly pleased that the wonderful Beating Hearts of Lismore, co-ordinated by Lismore-based Geriatrician Dr Rachel Jones and her volunteers, will be able to enrich the lives of more local seniors.”   

Successful local projects are: 

• Northern Rivers Community Gateway will auspice the Beating Hearts of Lismore to expand its weekly volunteer-led singing group, connecting older adults facing social isolation, dementia or Parkinson’s disease, along with their carers. In addition, support the provision of evidence-based dance classes to improve strength, balance and social connection. 
• Tweed Shire Council – Age Well-Connect will combat senior isolation in the Tweed through activities like technology classes, cooking workshops, falls prevention, cognitive health initiatives and a jazz festival. 

Since its launch in 2020, the Connecting Seniors Grant Program has funded more than 120 projects and engaged over 30,000 seniors across 82 Local Government Areas in NSW. 

This program supports the Ageing Well in NSW: Seniors Strategy 2021-2031, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to creating a more inclusive community and addressing isolation and loneliness. 

For more information about the grants program and the full list of recipients across the state, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/connecting-seniors-grant-program-2025.