Armidale Regional Council is inviting community members to attend a free Ready Communities workshop aimed at strengthening local connections and helping the region prepare for future challenges and opportunities.
The workshop will be held from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, at the Armidale Ex-Services Club and will be delivered by Ready Communities co-founder Kerry Grace.
“Armidale region has experienced its share of emergencies and disasters, and how we respond and recover depends strongly on the strength of our community,” Mayor Sam Coupland said.
“When people come together naturally, we see the best of what community can achieve. If we know each other, and who is in our community, we are ready to respond together naturally – to emergencies but also great opportunities!”
Grace has spent most of her career working in regional Australia and will draw on her experience in economic development, social impact and community capability to guide participants through the workshop. The sessions are designed to help participants identify shared priorities, strengthen community networks and build readiness for future investment.
“Ready Communities will focus on what it means to be investment ready, as individuals, organisations, and as a region,” Coupland said.
“The sessions will create space for meaningful, facilitated conversations about what matters most to our community, and how shared priorities can be turned into readiness and action.”
According to Grace, readiness is built through time, intention and collaboration.
“It’s like tilling the soil. You probably wouldn’t plant a crop without getting the soil right first. So why would you seek investment without getting ready?”
The workshop will explore how strengthening clarity, connection, capability and capacity can support disaster preparedness and recovery, while also building everyday resilience and positioning communities to seize economic, social and community opportunities.
The initiative complements the work of the Preparing All Communities Together (PACT) committee, established by Armidale Regional Council to bring organisations together to support disaster preparedness.
Participants will also explore the importance of social capital, including knowing who to connect with, where to gather and how to support one another during both everyday life and emergencies.
“Creating safe spaces and strengthening relationships is essential, not just in times of crisis, but in building a thriving, investment-ready community,” Coupland said.
“I encourage everyone with an interest in our region’s future to attend.”
The workshop is being delivered in partnership with Armidale Uniting Church, with funding support from the NSW Government through Multicultural NSW via Armidale Uniting Church.
The workshop is free, but registrations are essential. To register, visit www.readycommunities.com.au. For enquiries, email admin@readycommunities.com.au.
Event details
Ready Communities community workshop
Date: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Time: 9.30am-2.30pm
Venue: Armidale Ex-Services Club
Book tour event: Spiralling Up – A Guide for Accidental Leaders with Kerry Grace
Date: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Time: 6pm-7pm
Venue: Armidale Library
RSVP: library@armidale.nsw.gov.au or phone (02) 6770 3636.
Ready Communities faith-based community workshop
Date: Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Time: 10am-noon
Venue: Armidale Uniting Church Hall
Media enquiries
Armidale Regional Council Communications and Engagement
media@armidale.nsw.gov.au | 0448 920 309
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