Long lunch raises $175,000

Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, raised $175,000 for Australian farmers on 31 March at the annual long lunch event.

The lunch was held in Brisbane at the Howard Smith Wharves with more than 340 guests who attended.

The Woolworths Group has exceeded over 10 million in donations to Rural Aid along with S.Kidman and Co and James Power donating $60,000 each.

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters thanked the donators for their support.

“Rural Aid is grateful for their donator’s support, and especially thanks Mrs Rinehart, Ms Leung, and Mr Power,“ he said.

“Thanks for the unwavering support of Woolworths Group, Rural Aid has been able to respond to more than 50,000 requests for help from farmers battling droughts, bushfires, plagues, and floods.”

“It’s a significant number of farmers that we’ve been able to assist over the past eight years; it’s equivalent to every person in Dubbo receiving some form of assistance, whether it be hay, pre-paid VISA cards, or free counseling, all thanks to Woolworths Group’s support.”

Also attending the lunch was the National Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management Minister, Senator Murray Watt, followed by Queensland Agriculture Minister Mark Furner and Agriculture spokesperson Tony Perrett.

John personally thanked the agricultural ministers for coming to the lunch.

“Their commitment to the ag industry is clear, and we thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to learn more about the work Rural Aid does,” he said.

Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said how the organisation’s partnership has shown non-stop support for Australian graziers.

“Our partnership with Rural Aid began through the grassroots support from our supermarkets to their local communities doing it tough during the drought,” he said.

“It has grown to become an important part of our national commitment at Woolworths Group to stand by regional Australia during times of natural disasters and delivering on our purpose of creating a better experience together for a better tomorrow.”