NSW State Committee Secretary Carol Grylls presenting cheque to CWA of NSW Secretary Mrs Ann Adams.
The NSW State Committee of Angus Australia recently made a donation to the Country Women’s Association (CWA) Oura Branch during its December meeting.
NSW State Committee Secretary/Treasurer Carol Grylls, presented a cheque for $5,000 to Ann Adams OAM, State Secretary of CWA of NSW to assist with their Drought Relief Fund distribution.
The donation came after discussion at the November NSW State Committee meeting, with Chairman Mark Lucas bringing the subject to the group as a way to assist members in NSW who have been affected by drought and fire.
The donation goes towards the CWA Disaster Relief Fund, which assists drought affected families with their household expenses.
Applicants can receive assistance for household expenses (to the amount of $3,000) for expenses that can include grocery bills, vehicle maintenance, school, electricity, rates (up to $1000 per instalment), telephone, dental and medical.
NSW State Committee Chairman Mark Lucas said the option was brought up as it is the State Committees’ charter to represent all of New South Wales.
“In doing so we especially focused on the northern part of the state to the Queensland border who are pretty much now entering their third year of pretty abject seasonal misfortune.
“Dealing on an individual level is difficult, so we saw the CWA as a positive and proactive body for them to be out there looking at the people that are in a tough time.
“We are hoping the small donation we have made, which is out of some accumulated funds from NSW across the few decades it’s been running, they would be the body that would distribute it to the people that needed it the most.”
The Committee also hoped that in doing it this way, a member could choose to ask for assistance if they wished without anyone else knowing.
“We urge that if there are commercial or full members out there in a position of hardship to say righto I’m going to go there, and if they go and make contact with the CWA that would be great,” Mr Lucas said.
This donation comes off the back of the introduction of the Business Recognition Award provided by the NSW State Committee. The award provided two cattle businesses in drought affected areas of NSW the opportunity to have an all-expenses paid trip to the 2019 Sydney Royal Show.
Several businesses in New South Wales pledged funds for the award, which saw Jeff and Angus Kirk and Brett and Marissa Woods have a couple of days away from the hardships they were facing in their local areas to attend the show.
“We had tremendous support from individual stakeholders who donated money for these two couples to come to Sydney. We are representing New South Wales and we are doing our hardest to fulfil that requirement,” said Mr Lucas.
“This award provided people there first trip to Sydney, first time off the farm in the last ten years. It was very fulfilling to provide this to people that are so genuine and really deserving. They had three days of bliss in Sydney, due to the kind heartedness of the people who donated to the award.”