Much-loved farm The Paddock will continue to service the community after being purchased by the Give Where You Live Foundation.
The 7-acre Leopold farm was closed down in the wake of the collapse of Encompass Community Services earlier this year.
Since purchasing The Paddock in 2007, Encompass has used the site to provide people living with disabilities or disadvantage the opportunity to work, learn and build social connections.
Give Where You Live’s acting chief officer Meg Price said the foundation was proud to purchase the property and ensure it could continue to serve as a community asset.
“The Give Where You Live Foundation exists to create a fairer community, where all people and all places thrive,” Ms Price said.
“The Paddock has been a much-loved community asset for over 15 years, providing a unique setting for people of all abilities to explore new experiences and learn new skills, in areas of horticulture, grounds maintenance and cooking.”
“The Foundation’s decision to purchase The Paddock strongly aligns with our goal to build community assets and support learning and employment pathway opportunities, particularly for people facing barriers.
“We’re proud that the time, money, effort and commitment the community has put into The Paddock will be retained and built upon.”
The Give Where You Live Foundation is one of Geelong’s longest-standing and successful philanthropic organisations, having been established in 1954 as the Geelong and District Community Chest.
Last year the foundation gave back almost $2,8 million into the Geelong community, including $1.6 million worth of grants to community groups.
Ms Price said Give Where You Live was currently exploring how to best use The Paddock as a community asset.
“We’re looking forward to engaging with a range of stakeholders over the coming months as we plan the next phase of The Paddock,” she said.
“We would like to thank the community for their continued support of the foundation; the feedback we have received on our decision to purchase The Paddock has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re incredibly proud of this outcome.”
