Firstly, thank you so much for being part of the BMI, in whatever capacity works for you and we hope you continue to enjoy the offerings. We work very hard to provide different opportunities of engagement for different groups within our BMI community and wider Ballarat, to ensure a growing audience and hopefully a growing Membership which is of course central to the structure of the Institute.  Thank you to those who have encouraged friends and family to visit and to join the BMI as members- you are our greatest advocates.   We also continue to protect and maintain the Heritage Listed Building and its contents  as has been the case continually throughout the history of the organisation.  The independent nature of the BMI as a community facility is something quite unique today and something we fiercely protect, but also brings with it many challenges.  

I imagine that most of you receive the newsletters, which are a comprehensive account of BMI activities and programs, with strategic updates coming to you via the Chair’s Report.  This year has seen a great deal of activity and development across all the areas of the BMI and a big thank you to all staff and volunteers for putting in the considerable energy and effort to deliver the cross section of programs and events with professionalism and positivity.  We have also established some new partnerships, obtained grant funding, increased our Membership, continued to commit to involvement in many City of Ballarat based festivals and continue to look for new ways to activate our spaces more often, to strengthen the “bottom line”.  We have however also experienced rising costs physically and administratively, increases in compliance and regulations, changes in legislation and more competition for audiences and volunteers as we strive to remain current and relevant to the community we serve.  

As an independent and community run organisation, we do not receive re-current Government funding and fundraising through many avenues, is vital to and a key factor in our financial survival. Once again we are coming to the end of our Financial Year at the BMI.  You may know that our year end is April 30, not the traditional June 30 which is a common time for Not for Profit organisations like ours to summon the support of their friends through tax deductible End of Financial Year Giving.  As such, I would like to invite you to consider a donation to the BMI  at this time to support the financial result for the 2024-2025 year here at the Institute and assist us with our planing for next year.  

You may do this on line or by direct credit.  Details are:

Ballaarat Mechanics’  Institute BSB – 083-526, Account – 515667832.  

Donations will be accepted at any time of the year.  

The BMI remains eternally grateful for your support as you continue to underpin the community ownership of the BMI  providing so many with a sense of belonging, a sense of history, a place to meet and learn and an opportunity to contribute and be a part one of Ballarat’s most important cultural venues.  

Thank you so much.

Go to our GiveNow page to donate now.

Paula Nicholson
President
Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute