Who we helped in Australia in 2021

Here at The LBW Trust, we're proud to be supporting Australian country libraries through National Backyard Cricket.

In 2020, The LBW Trust partnered with Friends of Libraries Australia (FOLA) to identify the best way to support better educational outcomes in Australia as part of the National Backyard Cricket program. With FOLA’s insight, the partners settled on country public libraries.

Extensive research in Australia and overseas has shown that every dollar invested in public libraries delivers a return of 4x to 8x, making public libraries one of the most economical ways to deliver community benefits. Australian libraries provide essential community educational experiences. These include research assistance, language classes, and career and employment support for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

There is no national fundraising campaign that seeks to address the economic inequities that our rural, regional and remote libraries face. Until now...

Wagga Wagga City Library

With the success of our inaugural National Backyard Cricket campaign this year - a campaign designed to support disadvantaged students in cricket-playing nations - we were able to raise nearly $70,000 for rural, regional and remote libraries and give out 54 grants!

The National Backyard Cricket was able to raise a mammoth $125,000 in total, with the remaining funds raised being used to support education for tertiary students in cricket-playing nations. We hope you are inspired to join in and help us give a boost to Australia’s country's public libraries.

Grant applications were received from all Australian states, plus the Northern Territory. These are the libraries that we were able to help in 2021:

Wagga Wagga City Library

Inverell Shire Public Library

Eurobodalla Libraries

Glen Innes Public & TAFE Library

Grenfell Public Library

Hilltops Council Library Service - Young

Gundagai Library

Cessnock City Library

Armidale Regional Libraries

Leeton Shire Library

Clarence Regional Library

Cootamundra Library

Henty Library

Holbrook Library

Richmond-Upper Clarence Regional Library

Barham Library

Cobar Shire & TAFE Library

Kempsey Shire Library

Snowy Monaro Regional Library (SMRL)

Bellingen Shire Library

Lismore City Library

Quirindi Library

Central West Libraries

Tenterfield Public Library

Adelaide River Community Library

Cunnamulla Library

Western Downs Libraries

Somerset Libraries

Loxton Library & Visitor Centre

Bordertown Public Library

Whyalla Public Library

Waikerie Library and Visitor Centre

City of Mount Gambier

Launceston Library

Greater Hamilton Library

West Gippsland Regional Library Corporation

St Arnaud Library (Northern Grampians Libraries)

Robinvale Community Library (Swan Hill Regional Library Service)

Port Fairy Library - CRLC

City of Ballarat Libraries Ballarat Branch

Wodonga Library

Warrnambool Library

Kalbarri Public Library

Collie Public Library

Margaret River Library

Derby Public Library

Australind Public Library

Williams Public Library

Shire of Northam Library Service

Harvey Public Library

Town of Port Hedland Libraries

Esperance Public Library

We are incredibly thankful for your participation and donation to our inaugural National Backyard Cricket campaign. We were able to help shape the future of these libraries for the better, and we couldn't have done it without you!

Want to get involved in National Backyard Cricket? Click here for information on our upcoming 2022 campaign: https://nationalbackyardcricket.com/