Employees at AWB Limited have banded together to raise in excess of $30,000 worth of cash and goods to assist people affected by the recent floods at Gunnedah.

The staff fund raising appeal had its origins in a monthly Casual Dress Day at AWB Limited’s Melbourne headquarters. Staff pay a donation directed to a rural charity each month for the privilege of ditching the power suits and ties in favour of t-shirts and comfortable clothes.

Appeal co-ordinator Helen Grant said the floods struck a chord with staff at AWB Limited because of the close association between the company and Australia’s 45,000 wheat growers.

“Every week we get paid, but for staff here the realisation that people could work for 12 months and then have their incomes wiped out by a single event really affected people and made them want to help,” Ms Grant said.

The appeal committee sent letters out to various organizations requesting donations of goods that households might need. The response was overwhelming, with 100 cartons of toys from Mattel, 144 cartons of household goods from Decor, 2 Pallets of biscuits from Lanes, 50 CDs from Universal Music, 150 bathroom towels, clothing from Westco, champagne from Dan Murphy, jam from Aussie Fruit Growers, a video recorder, 2 large cartons of books from Collins Booksellers, games from Crown and Andrews, 1 carton of activity sets and eight huge cartons of goods from staff (all sorted for the different age groups).

Tamworth’s Star Track Freight principal Phil Curtain kindly freighted the goods from Melbourne to Gunnedah free of charge.

In addition cash donations and an in-house auction raised around $6000 in cash.

The goods and cash will be distributed by the Salvation Army Gunnedah Flood Appeal.

Ends.

For more information please contact Paul Ryan on 0408 347 282