Category: News

Orroroo’s “never looked better” following Rural Aid transformation

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Australia’s leading rural charity, Rural Aid, has finished a week of transformative works in the South Australian town of Orroroo.  
30 volunteers helped makeover parts of the historic city during the Rural Aid ‘Our Towns’ week.   
Orroroo was one of ten towns chosen for the $100,000 program, which included a week of makeover works and a long-term Community Development Plan. The plan was created by local leaders, Rural Aid staff and Peter Kenyon from the Bank of I.D.E.A.S.  
 
Church before

Church after

Orroroo’s Country Fire Shed, Catholic Church, swimming pool and Solly’s Hut were all spruced up by the Rural Aid team.  
The volunteer crew also built a new garden bed at the town’s buggy display and concreted a new ramp at the golf club. 

Golf club before
Golf club after

 
“Orroroo has never looked better! We’re really moving forward. It’s such a bonus for us,” Orroroo local leader Lyn Hounsell said. 
“It was fantastic, the volunteers were a joy to talk to. I went around and tried to meet all the different groups, and they were just lovely. Very chatty and so happy to be there! I find it hard to believe that they can get 30 volunteers to come to a small country town in the middle of South Australia! It’s huge.” 
Rural Aid’s Community Program Coordinator, Jen Curnow-Trotter, said it was a magical week in the welcoming town.  
“Orroroo is one of those towns where you can just feel the immense town pride from the locals,” Jen said.  
“It was our honour to spend the week in Orroroo. We can’t wait to watch the town further embrace their Community Development Plan.”  
“And a huge thanks to our amazing volunteers, many of who travelled thousands of kilometres to spend their week volunteering in Orroroo,” Jen finished. 

Agribusiness leaders attend Rural Aid Long Lunch

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Supporters of Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, have made the organisation’s inaugural Long Lunch event a resounding success.
Held in Brisbane last Friday, the Rural Aid Long Lunch was attended by some of the biggest names in the agribusiness and farming industries. 
The April 8 Long Lunch included a charity auction, performance by Lee Kernaghan, and guest speaker appearances from Laura Geitz, Shane Webcke and Tony Gollan.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said it was humbling to see the extraordinary generosity on display.
“I’ve been overwhelmed to witness the passion that local businesses, both big and small, have for our growers and graziers,” Mr Warlters said.
“The funds raised today will make a real difference to our farmer’s lives as they continue their drought, flood and bushfire recovery.”
“Our ongoing priority is to ensure Rural Aid can fund the placement of more counsellors into more communities to support more farming families,” Mr Warlters finished.
Rural Aid’s expanding mental health program was the focus of the lunch. Guests heard from Rural Aid counsellors about the importance of Rural Aid’s complimentary ‘farm-gate’ counselling program.
“Rural Aid’s counselling service is so vital,” Manager of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lauren Stracey, said.
“Our farmers have bravely fought through disaster after disaster, but many are now feeling totally numb or completely swamped.
“We offer free, confidential counselling to our farmers wherever they are most comfortable. We travel hundreds of kilometres to chat to farmers at their kitchen table or over the back fence. This culturally-appropriate, flexible service is so important to ensure our farmers are not slipping through the cracks,” Ms Stracey explained.
Rural Aid now employs 16 counsellors, based in rural and regional towns across Australia and is looking to grow this number with support from the Australian public.  

LINK to photo gallery can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tnlsrq8qgoxfqoh/AACUfqlX1Vp74xdxLehQJMqLa?dl=0
 
For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757.

About Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au






 

Inverell locals find connection after drought, pandemic at new community day

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The Northern Tablelands celebrated its achievements at the inaugural Inverell Connection Day on Saturday. 
Hundreds of people turned out to the hugely popular Campbell St Park event.  
Jointly organised by Rural Aid, Pathfinders and the Inverell Community Collaborative, the Connection Day was a chance for locals to reconnect after recent hardship.  
Rural Aid’s counsellor and community representative for the Northern Tablelands, Heidi Gray, said it’s been a testing few years for the region. 
“Our community has been so brave through the horrific drought and the grueling pandemic,” Ms Gray said.  
“We had to stay isolated and busy to get through. But we haven’t really had a chance since to get together and reflect on how far we’ve come.  
“The value of social connection cannot be underestimated. It was wonderful to see locals laughing, chatting and even singing and dancing this weekend at the Connection Day.” 
Dozens of community clubs, service providers and businesses attended the Connection Day, signing up locals and making valuable referrals.  
Ms Gray labelled the day a success and said the Community Collaborative has already started to look at holding the event again next year.  
“It was fantastic to see our town embrace this new day so wholeheartedly, we were blown away by how many people attended. Thank you to every stallholder and every attendee for showing up and being a part of the community,” Ms Gray said. 
“And a huge thanks to Essential Energy for coming on board as a major sponsor. We’re also extremely grateful for the NSW Government, Healthwise and Boss Engineering for additional funding that supported the day,” Ms Gray finished.  
 
About Rural Aid 
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au 
 
Vision and pictures from the Inverell Connection Day can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/udtfq4cc0edmopn/AACe_XbfzTT0cd6xQdG5zlmCa?dl=0  
 
For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757. 

Rural Aid bounds into Orroroo for Our Towns week

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Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, has started its “Our Towns” makeover week in Orroroo. 
Orroroo is one of 10 towns across Australia chosen to receive $100,000 to help deliver a range of community-building projects.  
Thirty-five Rural Aid volunteers from across the nation will stay in Orroroo for the next week as they help revitalise the small town.  
In accordance with the new Community Development Plan, the Rural Aid crew will this week work on fencing the Historical Society, sprucing up the town’s buggy display and building a ramp at the golf course.   
Peter Kenyon from the Bank of IDEAS helped the Orroroo community decide which projects were most important to the South Australian town, now captured in the town’s Community Development Plan.   
Locals are encouraged to say hello to Rural Aid’s friendly team around town this week. 
Rural Aid’s Community Programs Coordinator, Jen Curnow-Trotter, said the team is overjoyed to be in Orroroo.  
“We are so thrilled to be able to spend a week in beautiful Orroroo,” Ms Curnow-Trotter said.  
“It’s a proud town with a rich history that we are honoured to play a role in uplifting.” 
“A huge bonus of the Our Towns week is the energy and enthusiasm that buzzes around the district; the excitement is palpable,” Ms Curnow-Trotter said.  
“It’s going to be a great week, and we’re so excited to get stuck in.” 
The Rural Aid convoy arrived in Orroroo on Sunday the 3rd of April and will depart on the 9th of April.  
 
About Rural Aid 
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au 
 
For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757.