Disaster Relief - NSW Floods
in June 2021, following disastrous floods in the Hastings River region, Rotary Northbridge co-ordinated donations from the Northbridge community, via the Rotary Club of Wauchope to children at the Telegraph Point primary School. These donations funded approx. $5000 for new school jumpers, and around $4500 for PM reading books. In March 2022, Port Macquarie was similarly hit and contributions to that area in March 2022 included $3000 to Lifeline and $2200 (again via Rotary Wauchope) for fuel vouchers. In total during this difficult time, Rotary Northbridge donated $16,000 to communities in need.
in June 2021, following disastrous floods in the Hastings River region, Rotary Northbridge co-ordinated donations from the Northbridge community, via the Rotary Club of Wauchope to children at the Telegraph Point primary School. These donations funded approx. $5000 for new school jumpers, and around $4500 for PM reading books. In March 2022, Port Macquarie was similarly hit and contributions to that area in March 2022 included $3000 to Lifeline and $2200 (again via Rotary Wauchope) for fuel vouchers. In total during this difficult time, Rotary Northbridge donated $16,000 to communities in need.
Disaster Relief - NSW Drought
During the 2019/2020 year, Rotary Northbridge combined with the Rotary Club of Wellington, NSW to support our rural community in times of severe drought. Among other things, through community appeals, Northbridge sponsored a "Rotary BBQ" at a machinery clearance sale, approx 750 children having a day out at Dubbo Zoo (with a Rotary BBQ of course), a Mental Health awareness evening in the local community and a meaningful contribution to Drought Angels.
Disaster Relief - Bushfires
Later in 2019/202, NSW was to face some of the worst bushfires in living memory. Again the Northbridge community came to the fore contributing around $16,000 in November 2019 for the mid North Coast region, and around $26,000 in January 2020 for the South Coast region. The North Coast appeal was distributed to families in need in that region via Rotary Nambucca Heads. The South Coast appeal was used to support Rotary Meribula with $22,500 in rebuilding of the Kiah Pavilion near Eden, and Rotary Batemans Bay with $5000 for rehabilitation of the Boomerang Indigenous Centre at Mogo.
Ukraine Refugee Support
In March 2022, following Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, Rotary Northbridge raised over $3000 predominantly from our members to support Ukranian refugees. Funds were transferred via a former Rotary Northbridge exchange student Vicki Skure-Eriksson to groups badly in need at the Swedish border. Northbridge then also supported Rotary International project and was honoured with a visit and discussion with the NSW Honorary Consul Jerry Duma OAM.
Timor Leste Water Sanitation Project
Rotary Northbridge has a long history of supporting water sanitation and hygiene projects in the Timor Leste region. In 2020, the Club completed a project with Nusa Tengarra for the installation of 8 water tanks on Flores Island, and 9 fenced farm areas on Semau in West Timor. The total project cost was apporx $6000, with Rotary Northbridge's contribution matched by a District Grant. In 2021 a further project in Ermera was abandoned following severe regional flooding and a COVID outbreak, with funds returned to Rotary.
Disaster Relief - Tonga
On the weekend of 5/6 February 2022, the Northbridge community came together, with the support of Northbridge Plaza, raising funds for those in Tonga who lost their homes, possessions and in some case family members to the recent volcano and tsunami. Combined with proceeds from the sale of surplus medical equipment sourced by the Club and a donation for purchase of water filters, at the request of the Hon. Consul in NSW, a total of almost $3000 was distributed to Tonga disaster relief.
On the weekend of 5/6 February 2022, the Northbridge community came together, with the support of Northbridge Plaza, raising funds for those in Tonga who lost their homes, possessions and in some case family members to the recent volcano and tsunami. Combined with proceeds from the sale of surplus medical equipment sourced by the Club and a donation for purchase of water filters, at the request of the Hon. Consul in NSW, a total of almost $3000 was distributed to Tonga disaster relief.
Nepal COVID Relief
In August 2020, the Rotary Northbridge and Crows Nest combined to donate US$4500 to the Kathmandu, Nepal region for COVID personal protective equipment (PPE). In June 2021, Rotary Northbridge acquired 10 oxygen concentrators, for us in Nepal, at a cost of just over $5000.
Fiji COVID Relief
In March 2022, A$2500 was donated to the Rotary Club of Lautoka, Fiji, in support of food packs for communities impacted by a combination of COVID and flooding in the Nadi area. This donation was matched by a Rotary District Grant, making the total contributed A$5000.
PNG Boroko School Desk Project
in March 2022, Rotary Northbridge's International Committee proposed supporting Rotary Boroko (PNG) in their continuing efforts to supply materials for the construction of school desks for PNG schools. This project was funded by A$3000 from Northbridge and a matching A$3000 Rotary District Grant.
Solukhumbu Hospital
Following a proposal from our International Committee, in early 2023, Rotary Northbridge approved a donation of $A5000 for the supply and installation of medical equipment to the Dudhkoshi Community Hospital in Solukhumbu, Nepal. This donation, combined with donations from the Rotary Clubs of Kathmandu, Balwyn, and Albury has facilitated the establishment of a fully equipped Operating Theatre Unit, supporting a regional population of over 22,000, in one of the world's poorest countries.
Flores Weaving Groups
In 2021 the Northbridge Rotary Club donated $3,000 to the Nusa Tenggara Association (NTA), an Australian-based NGO which has been assisting poor farming communities in parts of eastern Indonesia. The money was allocated to women from 6 different weaving groups with the opportunity to earn a better income by producing diverse products with hand woven cloth on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores, one of more than 550 Islands of the Nusa Tenggara Province.
