Rural Aid is “hands-on” across the country through its Buy A Bale campaign and so far this year has distributed $1.5 million worth of aid, including hay, water, groceries and transport, to farmers in NSW.

Founder Charles Alder said the upcoming Black Tie and Boots Ball would be a great night out and a chance to hear first-hand from farmers about just how hard times have become.

“We’ve delivered 4500 large bales of hay this year alone, just in NSW,” he said.

“We’re by far the largest national distributor of fodder this year. There’s no-one else in a bull’s roar of that.”

Rural Aid is close to the hearts of Bathurst couple Grant and Chezzi Denyer and they signed on earlier this year to help raise awareness of the charity’s work and encourage supporters. Mr Denyer will MC on the night.

Tickets are $150 each and include canapes, dinner, live entertainment, dancing and a host of prizes with auctions and raffles.

The ball comes as 29.5 per cent of the Central Tablelands has been declared in drought and 66.4 per cent is at the onset of drought.

Mr Alder said many farmers have sold off all but their core breeding stock and they are still struggling to feed the animals left.

Mounting transport costs for fodder, failed crops, rising debt and the continued lack of rain are all affecting farmers’ mental health.

Mr Alder encouraged those who do not live on the land and those in metropolitan areas to have empathy for the region’s primary producers.

“Walk a day in someone else’s shoes,” he said.

Single tickets or tables of 10 can be purchased online.

To book a seat for the Black Tie and Boots Ball, visit www.ruralaid.org.au/black-tie-and-boots-ball.

Source: Western Advocate

In an effort to help those in need, the Walcha Roos are gearing up off-the-field for their annual charity fundraiser event.

The Roos have chosen to raise funds for the Walcha Support Group and Rural Aid’s Buy a Bale campaign by auctioning off special commemorative jerseys worn by the men’s and league tag players at the July 21 home fixture against the Uralla Tigers.

The Walcha Support Group is a long-standing and worthy charity who has been helping out people within the community for nearly three decades and it is fitting the Roos have opted to put funds back into the organisation.

With NSW is in one of the worst droughts in history, the Roos have also chosen to support Rural Aid’s Buy a Bale campaign for farmers in the New England and North West as their second charity.

The not-for-profit organisation delivers hay and supplies to drought-stricken farmers within our region.

Roos president Michael Aspinall said it was a unanimous decision among the players and club’s committee to raise money for organisations important to the Walcha community.

“The Walcha Support Group has been helping out locals for such a long time and it’s our way of paying back all the help they have given people within our club and the wider community over the years,” he said.

“With a lot of the players and committee coming off farms and Walcha being a farming community, we thought the Buy a Bale charity was an important one to support.

“The fact the money goes back into purchasing hay and other supplies for farmers in the New England North West was pretty significant for the players as well.

“Hopefully the community can come along to the bowling club and get behind the fundraiser after we beat Uralla in two grades.”

Donation barrels for the Buy a Bale campaign can also be found at various businesses around town to add your spare change to.

The fundraiser will commence after 5pm on July 21 at the Walcha Bowling Club.

For more information go to buyabale.com.au where you can find out more about helping raise money for farmers struggling through the drought as well as signing up for assistance.

Source: Walcha News