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