NSW Rugby partner with Rural Aid to assist Disaster Recovery

Fri, Jan 17, 2020, 12:05 AM
Waratahs Media
by Waratahs Media
NSW Rugby will be supporting Rural Aid's Disaster Recovery Fund.
NSW Rugby will be supporting Rural Aid's Disaster Recovery Fund.

NSW Rugby is doing its bit to assist rural communities ravaged by drought and fire, as part of a season-long awareness and fundraising campaign in partnership with Rural Aid.

 

The campaign – raising funds for Rural Aid’s Disaster Relief Fund – will be officially launched later this month, with fundraising to begin at the NSW Waratahs trial match against the Highlanders at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.

 

NSW Rugby will donate $1 for every ticket sold to the game, in the first of several fundraising efforts incorporated into the NSW Waratahs home fixtures and events for 2020.

 

The NSW Waratahs Super Rugby squad will also be running an auction of personal sporting memorabilia in the lead up to Round 1, which will be launched next week.

 

Rural Aid was founded in 2015 to provide a holistic support program to rural Australia, built off the back of the very successful Buy a Bale campaign. Today, Rural Aid boasts a number of wonderful initiatives including, fodder (hay) and domestic water deliveries, financial assistance, Community and Farm Rescue and access to counselling.

 

NSW rugby Interim-CEO, Philip Van Schalkwyk said the idea for this campaign came off the back of the NSW Waratahs journey around the state during the 2020 Super Rugby season.

 

“Our organisation has such a strong connection to country and rural areas,” Van Schalkwyk said.

 

“Taking our games around NSW – particularly to areas like Tamworth – is something we’re really excited to be doing, we hope bringing Super Rugby to areas that have been affected by drought and now fire will bring a number of benefits.

 

“When finalising our game in Tamworth, we discussed the idea of doing more than just taking a game to the area. We wanted to use Super Rugby as a platform to make a significant contribution to communities around NSW.

 

“In speaking with the NSW Government, they recommended the team at Rural Aid and the work they’re doing across a wide range of areas, which now also encompasses the impact of devastating bushfires we’ve seen in recent months.

 

“This is the start of a partnership we’re really proud to be a part of, we’ll be working with Rural Aid over the next month to finalise our fundraising efforts with more announcements to come before the start of the season.”

 

Rural Aid NSW Business Development Manager, Craig Marsh said he would like to thank NSW Rugby and the Waratahs for supporting farmers who are struggling, on many levels, through this record-breaking drought and now, the impact of bushfires.

 

“The donations will go a long way in easing some of the burden experienced by our Aussie farmers struggling to feed their stock,” Craig Marsh said.

 

To donate to Rural Aid or for further information, head to buyabale.com.au/donate      

 

About Rural Aid

Rural Aid is one of Australia’s largest rural charities. Well known for the highly successful ‘Buy a Bale’ campaign, the charity also provides financial assistance, water and counselling to farmers in times of drought, flood or fire. Other initiatives support its vision that farming and rural communities are safeguarded to ensure their sustainability both during and after these natural disasters.

 

Visit ruralaid.org.au for further information on these programs and other support for our rural communities.

 

Visit ruralaid.org.au/snapshots for Rural Aid’s latest assistance statistics.

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