Surf Life Saving NSW has been challenged by Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and NSW Police Commissioner, Mick Fuller to ‘stuff their surf boats’ with donated food to help farmers doing it tough this Christmas.


Joining forces with other NSW emergency service organisations such as the Rural Fire Service and NSW Police, Surf Life Saving NSW is proudly supporting Foodbank to collect urgently needed food for their Christmas Hamper distribution across NSW.



Speaking at the launch event at the NSW Police Air Wing base at Bankstown Airport, Police and Emergency Services Minster David Elliot challenged emergency organisations across NSW to stuff their choppers, fire trucks, response vehicles and surf boats with food for farmers struggling in the state’s worst drought in living memory.



“I am encouraging everyone to rally behind our emergency service personnel to help make sure that families in need do not go without,” said Minister David Elliott.



Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said that after the success of the challenge in previous years, NSW Police were once again laying down the challenge to other emergency service organisations.



“This is the fifth year we’ve issued the ‘Stuff Your Chopper’ challenge to other emergency services to get involved so we can make the holiday season a little brighter for those who need it most,” said Commissioner Fuller.



Surf Life Saving NSW’s ‘Stuff Your Surf Boat’ challenge begins on Thursday 28 November. Donations of non-perishable food items can be dropped off at participating Rural Fire Service office locations across NSW.



Surf Life Saving NSW President George Shales called on Surf Lifesavers to support farmers by donating any non-perishable food items they could spare.



“Surf Life Saving NSW volunteers have a proud history of supporting farmers in need. I know they will rise to Minister Elliott’s challenge to ‘stuff our surf boats’ with food for people doing it tough this Christmas,” said George Shales.



Donations of non-perishable food can be dropped into Rural Fire Service offices in Batemans Bay, Shoalhaven, Illawarra, Coffs Harbour, Sutherland and Warringah – and other inland locations (see below). Food and hampers will then be delivered by Foodbank.



We encourage you to donate urgently needed non-perishable food items. They can be dropped at RFS Fire Control Centres throughout NSW, including the following coastal locations:



GROUP 1 (donations collected until Tuesday 3 December)



Batemans Bay RFS Region South Office



Shoalhaven RFS Fire Control Centre



Illawarra RFS Fire Control Centre



Coffs Harbour RFS Fire Control Centre



GROUP 2 (donations collected until Monday 9 December)



Sutherland RFS Fire Control Centre



Warringah RFS Fire Control Centre (Northern Beaches Office)



More information on ways to donate to Foodbank can be found on their website.



Thursday 28 November 2019