MORE than twelve months on from the devastating bushfires that ravaged the region, the recovery in small local communities has been made easier thanks to Park Beach Plaza, Park Beach HomeBase, The Bachrach Naumburger Group and the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour.

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In response to the disaster last year, Park Beach Plaza, Park Beach HomeBase and The Bachrach Naumburger Group arranged for an appeal to be conducted over the Christmas period in aid of locals affected by the fire.

When the appeal closed, there was approximately $50,000 available via the collections at the retail outlets at the Plaza and HomeBase, a matching donation from The Bachrach Naumburger Group as well as some funds from a Rotary Club in Sydney which was anxious to assist.

These funds were given to the care of the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour to ensure that distribution of them was made locally.

Group Marketing Manager for The Bachrach Naumburger Group Caroline Laine said the appeal has helped so many affected by the fires.

“On behalf of The Bachrach Naumburger Group, Park Beach Plaza, Park Beach HomeBase and our retailers, we wish to thank our customers for visiting the centres and contributing to the Bushfire Appeal in 2019, their incredible generosity made such a different to the lives of those affected by the fires,” Ms Laine said.

“We were thrilled to be able to match the customer tally by contributing a further $21,500.

“This is yet another example of how our community pulls together.”

The Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour distributed funds with amounts ranging from $1,500 up to $11,683 going to local communities Nana Glen, Glenreagh, Kangaroo Creek, Nymboida, South Arm, Blaxlands Creek, Buccarumbi, Dundurrabin, Hirnani and Ebor.

“The funds have been applied to things ranging from assistance with household goods to pumps and electrical supply.

“We have also made some grants to some small schools on the fire ground,” Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour treasurer and executive secretary Rob Anderson said.

“These small grants have helped the schools meet their students’ needs without placing a burden on the communities in which they serve.”

Mr Anderson said the funds are still being used today to help locals.

“Our most recent program is the assistance in a Council and Department of Agriculture program involving the large-scale replacement of rural fencing in the Glenreagh area,” he said.

“This work is being conducted by a not for profit organisation Backtrack based out of Armidale. The funding made available through this program supplements fencing requirements to allow completion of the work.”