Ipswich Legacy has received a Queensland Remembers Grant of $248,055 to upgrade Legacy Court at Booval which provides housing for war widows. 

Ipswich Legacy was one of 25 first round recipients which shared in $1.5 million of funding through the Queensland Remembers Grants Program which supports capital works and community projects that help ex-servicemen and women.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the successful grant recipients recently and Member for Ipswich, Jennifer Howard MP, was delighted to hear that Ipswich Legacy received a grant.

‘This funding will help Ipswich Legacy upgrade Legacy Court with new kitchens, bathrooms, wardrobes, and flooring for the widows who live there,’ said Ms Howard.  

‘For 93 years, Ipswich Legacy has built a strong reputation in the Ipswich community for supporting veterans and their families.

‘With Ipswich’s strong ties to the defence force, Ipswich Legacy plays a very important role supporting the welfare of spouses and children of ex-service personnel who were killed in war or died subsequently,’ said Ms Howard.

Ipswich Legacy President, Donna Reggett OAM, said she was thrilled with the funding received by Ipswich Legacy and is keen to see Legacy Court upgraded.

‘The widows will really benefit from the unit upgrade,’ said Ms Reggett.

‘It will give them a new lease of life.

‘These amazing women have spent their lives caring for their ex-servicemen husbands, and it’s lovely that we can now refurbish these units and give them somewhere nice to live to spend the rest of their lives - they deserve it.’

The Queensland Government has committed $4 million to the Queensland Remembers Grants Program to support organisations to upgrade buildings and facilities, and to purchase equipment to offer more options to ex-servicemen and women and their families.

Other projects that shared in the first round of Queensland Remembers funding includes the upgrade of accommodation and facilities at Camp Gregory Veterans’ Retreat at Woodgate, upgrades to the Roma Cenotaph, the creation of a new War Memorial Park at Murgon, and telling war widows’ stories through the Legacy Club of Brisbane.

The announcement of the Queensland Remembers grant recipients coincided with the opening of the 2022 Anzac Day Trust Grants Program and the second round of the Anzac Day Trust COVID-19 Grants Program.

Anzac Day Trust Grants are for organisations which help ex-service men and women and their dependants with welfare visits and functions, educational bursaries, or other services.

The COVID-19 Grants Program is to help veterans affected by the pandemic, and for COVID-safe events.

For more information about the Anzac Day Trust grants programs eligibility guidelines and to apply for a 2022 grant, visit the Queensland Veterans’ Portal at www.qld.gov.au/veterans. Submissions close 15 May 2022.

Applications for the next round of the Queensland Remembers Grants are due to open mid-year.