FRRR
 

backMedia Release

Media Release ABC Tamworth

27 March 2007

Philanthropists visit northern NSW

Brisbane philanthropists Gina and Tim Fairfax were guests at a celebration to mark the completion of a sheltered play area at the Yetman Public School in northern NSW on Monday (March 19).

The Fairfaxes are key supporters of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) which gave $4800 in philanthropic funds to help complete the shelter.

The money came via the FRRR’s Rural Education Program, which is funded entirely by Mr and Mrs Fairfax, Janet and John Calvert Jones and Baillieu and Sarah Myer. It seeks to provide education opportunities for children in rural Australia.

“We have a lot of empathy for bush people and rural people and it means a lot to us to think we can help at any level in small schools and larger schools,” Mrs Fairfax said.

“There is so much (need) out there especially in the rural and remote areas because of the isolation of some of these students.

“We and our partners in the program are firm believers that lots of good people come from the bush and everyone has to be given a fair chance and a fair go in life.”

Yetman Public School’s Parents and Citizens Association president Simone Tully said it had taken at least five years to raise the funds for the shelter at the two-teacher, 30-student school, 80km south-east of Goondiwindi.

“The FRRR’s funds have been a great boost to people’s morale,” Mrs Tully said.

“Like most small rural schools, we sometimes get fundraising fatigue and it’s becoming increasingly difficult as our population gets smaller to raise those funds, but this has been a great boost.”

The shelter, “big enough to park a couple of tractors under”, would be invaluable for the children to play outdoors on hot days.

FRRR chief executive officer Sylvia Admans also attended the lunch at her alma mater (which she left in 1969) on her three-day whistlestop tour of FRRR-funded projects across northern NSW.

The foundation was launched in 1990 at the Regional Australia Summit. It kicked off the following year with $1million from the Myer family. The Federal Government committed $14.5 million. The Pratt Foundation and the ANZ Bank each gave $1million soon after and have since continued to support FRRR.

To date, FRRR has handed out $11million to projects in rural and regional areas ranging from vouchers for school uniforms to radios for firemen.

Ms Admans said without the foundation it was unlikely this money would have reached rural Australia.

Her tour took in Ashford, Yetman, Delungra, Warialda, Croppa Creek, Boggabilla, Inverell and Tingha.

“It is important to visit rural communities to learn about the challenges they face so we can be aware of these when we are making our grants,” she said.

“Even though conditions look good in some of these areas following recent rains, I am very aware of the prolonged drought’s long term impacts on communities.

“I realise the difficulty they have in raising funds but I have been really impressed with the way they are working to solve their own problems.

“I want country people to know they have friends and donors at the FRRR who care about rural Australians. Of course we are always looking to attract more partners in philanthropy to boost our capacity to help.”

Projects the foundation has funded in northern NSW to date are:

  • Ashford Central School – $50 vouchers to prepare students to head back to school ($10,775)  
  • Ashford Library Rural Transaction Centre  - books ($3000)
  • Yetman Public School – shelter area ($4800)
  • Delungra & District Development Council –roadside tourist picnic and barbecue area ($4000)
  • Warialda Community Health Service – rehabilitation aides for the infirmed aged ($4857)
  • Warialda Rural Fire Brigade – quality UHF radios and GPS ($2000)
  • Gwydir Shire Council – restroom for nursing parents ($1135)
  • Croppa Creek Public School – school sign, books, first aid course for sport coaches ($5350)
  • Croppa Creek Rural Fire Brigade – tank and pump ($3000)
  • Boggabilla Central School – sports equipment shed ($9957)
  • Inverall Shire Public Library – books for babies ($4000)
  • Tingha Public School - $50 back-to-school vouchers for uniforms etc ($4500) 

To find out more about FRRR, check www.frrr.org.au

 

top