First project for Roy Hill foundation

The recently established Roy Hill Community Foundation has launched its first initiative at a primary school in Port Hedland, after securing $10 million in commitments.

Contributors to the fund include Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Roy Hill Holdings and several contractors and other businesses involved in its namesake project, including Guma ICRG, Samsung, National Australia Bank, Hitachi and Downer.

“With the downturn in the resources sector, we are well aware of community concerns of the potential loss of support for community programs,” Roy Hill CEO Barry Fitzgerald said.

“By bringing together companies, we have the capacity to make a greater difference.”

The first beneficiary will be St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School in Port Hedland. 

The school will receive support for its Little Stars program aimed at regional communities offering education opportunities for local Aboriginal youth.

It will build on the success of the Little Stars program that started in 2013 with backing from Guma ICRG.

The inaugural project will be jointly run with volunteering group EdConnect Australia to provide additional student mentoring services on top of the scholarship program.

The program will also include parenting workshops and after-school activities.

“Teachers and parents are really excited about the opportunity to use mentoring and to share our different skills and life experiences to help students,” St Cecilia’s headmaster Peter Allen said.

The foundation’s future initiatives are expected to focus on influencing community and business development, workplace training and employment, culture and the arts, as well as other education initiatives.