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G'day Ballarat! A lot of this week's edition turned out to be about people looking after people. A new council fund for tackling loneliness. A free brekky at Fed Uni. Funding for safer relationships. Prevention work that mostly happens in the background.

Mornings are getting cold now, and staying in is tempting. Worth a reminder that the small stuff, a coffee with someone, a hello at the shops, an expo stand you almost walked past, is how a town stays a town. Enjoy your read and weekend.

– Luciano Devoto

The City of Ballarat has opened a new Social Inclusion Ballarat Fund, with grants from $5,000 to $40,000 available for projects that help people feel more connected.

The focus is loneliness and social isolation, which can be easy to miss until you look around. Plenty of people live near others, work near others, and pass others every day, but still do not feel connected.

Not every local improvement needs to be a road or building. Sometimes it starts with giving people a reason to leave the house and meet someone.

The Rotary Club of Ballarat South’s Community Assistance Raffle is closing soon, with proceeds helping more than 80 community organisations. There are some solid prizes too, including a Mazda CX 5, with winners drawn later this month. Supporting local groups while giving yourself a tiny chance at a new car is not a bad trade.

Federation University has launched a free weekly Breakfast Club and low cost lunches to help students manage rising living costs. It is a simple support, but those little things can matter when groceries, rent and bills are all piling up. A free breakfast will not fix everything, but it is a useful start.

Five local organisations will share $3.7 million for Respect Ballarat prevention and early intervention programs. The funding supports work that helps prevent gender based violence and build safer, more respectful relationships across the community. It is serious work, but worth mentioning because a lot of it happens in the background before people see the impact.

Cafs has received Respect Victoria funding for a program supporting respectful and safe relationships for children aged 8 to 12, along with their caregivers. The idea is to help children build healthier relationship skills early. Prevention does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like giving families better tools before life gets messier.

The Ballarat Ageing Well Expo returns later this month, bringing together more than 60 stalls covering health, aged care, support services and independent living. It is probably useful for more people than they realise, especially if you are helping parents, planning ahead, or trying to understand what local support is available.

The City is asking residents how the four bin kerbside system is working, as part of its 12 month review. If you have strong feelings about bin nights, lid colours, food waste, glass, recycling, or remembering which bin goes out, this is your moment. Feedback will help shape what happens next.

Residents can comment on proposed flood and stormwater planning controls across 11 Ballarat waterways. It sounds like dry council reading until it affects your property, insurance, building plans or local drainage. If your area is included, it is worth having a look while feedback is still open.

A new $945,000 roundabout (yep, that much) is planned for the Grant Street and Walker Street intersection in Sebastopol, funded through the Black Spot Program. The aim is to improve safety at a known trouble spot. It is not glamorous, but if you drive through that part of Sebas, it is handy to know.

B Town Eatery sits at 12 Sturt Street, in a spot that's been feeding Ballarat since 1941 when it opened as Conder's Milk Bar. Chef Kay now runs the kitchen, with a tasty menu including all day brekky, burgers, salads, Korean buns and toasties. Oh and some of the better coffee in town. Voted one of Ballarat's top ten cafés. Open 7 to 3, daily.

3🛏️ 1🛁 1🚗 | House

Hints: This week’s home is a red brick Victorian on one of Ballarat East’s best known stretches. Built around the 1880s, it has pressed metal ceilings, polished timber floors, decorative mantlepieces, a restored 150-year-old bay window, updated kitchen and bathroom, rear access, established gardens and an oversized single garage. Close enough to wander into the CBD, but with enough heritage charm to make you start using words like “character” at open homes..

What do you reckon the asking price is?

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Until next Thursday!

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