NAB support helps keeps clubs’ heads above water

The public toilet at Burdett Park, Bellingen is just visible above the flood water (to the left of the road).

 

The National Australia Bank has literally put its money where its mouth is when it comes to helping flood affected footy clubs by making a sizeable donation to the AFL Community Relief Fund.

Recipients of the funds include all clubs within the AFL North Coast League, with $41,000 received to help clubs to replace damaged equipment, pay affiliation fees, or subsidise registration fees for players. The largest proportion of these funds has gone to the clubs that have been most impacted, but no club has been forgotten as all have been impacted by the recent rain events.

This brings the total financial support that’s been provided to local clubs by the AFL and its partners to over $70,000 in relation to these most recent rain events and floods.

Paul Taylor, Community Football Manager, said that the support is both badly needed and gratefully received.

“We’ve all seen the images of the devastation that the floods have caused in towns like Lismore, Casino, and Bellingen and it’s entirely appropriate that these clubs should be given a helping hand to bounce back,” Taylor said.

“Every single club has been affected through the loss of equipment, the additional costs of hiring all weather venues for pre-season training, or through player registrations occurring later than normal and impacting cash flow.

“Club Presidents have been overwhelmed when told of the financial help as they understand just vital it is to keep their club operational on the eve of the footy season.”

The financial support comes on the back of the generous donations of footies, jumpers, shorts, training tops, bibs, and socks that have been received from the Sydney Swans and GWS Giants. This gear has been provided to the Lismore Swans, Casino Lions, and Bellingen Bulldogs to replace items that were lost or damaged in the floods.