Caring for Our Farmers

Many farmers in NSW are suffering as a result of the current drought. Many are faced with trying to decide between food & water for their farm OR food & water for themselves & their family.

We're trying to help ease that decision for some by organising donations of water for drinking & showering, and essential items like food & personal care items.

What we need to achieve this is:

·        People to spread the word so we can make this really worthwhile for the struggling farmers
·        Heavy vehicles, drivers & fuel so we can take the needed resources to those in more remote areas
·        Appropriate food, water in containers &/or bulk
·        Collection centre(s) for donated goods to be held until we can arrange the transports.

We are aiming to deliver water (not cash) to farmers on a cost free basis to them. Companies have donated trucks and drivers time. This isn’t an insignificant donation. The use of this equipment and drivers if it were hired would run to thousands of dollars.

In exchange for the use of this equipment some of the funds raised will be used to purchase fuel for trucks used in the run. All the road tankers we use will have to be washed out at an approved washout facility and provided with a wash certificate. Depending on the type and size of tank, prices vary from a few hundred dollars up to over six hundred dollars. We're still recruiting volunteers. 

Since road tankers licensed to transport potable water aren’t that easy to access we are forced to purchase new food grade 1000l bulk containers. These will be used for the run, some will be given to farmers whose water tanks aren’t in a fit condition to have water in them. Those that are returned will be sold on at the completion of the program and those returned funds will then be funnelled back in and spent on local water carters delivering water to those depending on rain water for household needs.

We have formed a partnership with the Baradine CWA branch. They will be informing us on who needs water. 

We also need to pay for the actual water. Depending on the source and the quality of the water, once again the prices vary. 

Any remaining funds will be used to hire local water carters to continue to deliver water to people dependent on rain water until those funds are depleted. 

We have opened a bank account for this project with westpac bank. This account is for this project only. There are no cards attached to this account. Accounts are expected to be paid by bank transfer. This will provide evidence of where all funds have gone. We will make the bank statements available to the public at the completion of the project.

We are not for profit. We will be choosing to use some services that will no doubt make some money working with us, fuel companies for example, but we can’t see a way around that.