Uralla’s strong community spirit was on full display at the 25th anniversary Thunderbolts Festival on 26 October, with ACEN Australia at the heart of it all as the new major sponsor.
ACEN Australia recently signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the festival, to help boost the annual community event as a valuable source of inclusiveness and social cohesion for Uralla Shire and surrounds.
A particularly large crowd at this year’s event, enjoying ideal spring weather, emphasised the festival’s importance in bringing the diverse community together for a fun day out.
Alma Park was a sea of colour as community members embraced this year’s theme, Loud Shirts and Hula Skirts. New England Solar team members were suitably bright as they donned hi-vis shirts for an ACEN Australia stand at the epicentre of Alma Park and the celebrations.
They enjoyed a steady stream of visitors to ACEN Australia marquee to discuss the company’s New England projects, how its Social Investment Program benefits the community and the approximately 6,500 sheep grazing among the New England Solar panels.
The Thunderbolt Festival funding boost is worth $33,000 over three years and enables the organiser, the Rotary Club of Uralla, to sign a full day of entertainers and activities while keeping the festival affordable for everyone to attend.
A live broadcast from the festival by New England radio station 100.3FM gave the New England Solar team a chance to discuss ACEN Australia’s emphasis on strong communities, social cohesion and inclusiveness and how that led to being part of the Thunderbolt Festival.
See our gallery of Thunderbolt Festival photos on the New England Solar project Facebook page.