First applicant approved for HRDC incentive

Harden local Liz Daly has become the Harden-Murrumburrah Regional Development Corporation (HRDC)’s Stallholder Incentive Program first approved applicant, assisting her to grow her small business The Gritty Mare Boutique. Liz will have a stall open and on display at the upcoming Murrumburrah-Harden Community Bank Show, to be held on Saturday 14 November. The program covers a year of public liability insurance for stallholders, who in turn are required to attend at least four local events in their first year. These include the Show, the Kite Festival, the Mother’s Day Street Party and the community markets, which are held every two months. “We are really excited to welcome Liz to the Murrumburrah Harden Show Markets and the Harden Murrumburrah Community Markets,” HRDC projects and events manager Antonia Brown said. “The Market Stall Incentive Program is about HRDC supporting locals, Liz and her family are very much part of our community, and we look forward to being a small part of The Gritty Mare Boutique’s growth and development.” Gritty Mare Boutique sell a range of country themed clothing and apparel, and have an online presence as well as getting up and running as a physical outlet. HRDC CEO Melissa Pinney said the first approval showed the program doing exactly what the community had asked for. “When residents helped shape the Harden-Murrumburrah Community Action Plan, two things came through clearly: support new and emerging local businesses to thrive and build a stronger buy-local culture,” Melissa said. “Both are firm commitments in the plan, and the Market Stallholder Incentive Program is one of the practical ways HRDC is delivering on them. “If you're in Harden-Murrumburrah, Wombat, Jugiong, or Galong and have been sitting on an idea, now is the time.” The program is open to residents within the old Harden Shire border, and available to those looking to start a stall for the first time. Antonia can be contacted on 0427 862 173 for anyone looking to receive the support available. To see some of Gritty Mare Boutique's range before Show day, visit https://grittymareboutique.com/