Bathurst RSL Club donates $5000 to clubs in NSW flood zones

The club has donated $5000 towards the ClubsNSW Flood Emergency Fundraiser, which will be diverted to clubs in communities worst hit by the floods, including Lismore, Ballina and surrounding areas.

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Bathurst RSL Club chief executive officer Peter Sargent said ClubsNSW has coordinated the effort as part of the Clubs Helping Clubs initiative to honour the role local clubs play in assisting communities when disaster strikes.

"Clubs in northern NSW have already been doing it tough over the last two years due to COVID-19, and this flood emergency has only exacerbated the situation," Mr Sargent said.

"In times of crisis, the local club is a key place people rely on as a place for food and shelter, and with so many people displaced in the Northern Rivers region, we just want to do our bit and help people in need."

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According to ClubsNSW, over 10 clubs in northern NSW have been impacted by the floods.

With the Bathurst RSL Club aptly recovering themselves from COVID-19 lockdowns, Mr Sargent said it's vitally important for clubs in less dire situations to do their bit for clubs in impacted flood zones.

"This is a one in a thousand-year event, and we're ready to provide more should the situation worsen," he said.

"Despite all the challenges, we've fared very well as a club over the past couple of years, so if we can put our hands in our pockets to support other communities, then we should and we will."

The RSL Club donated a similar sum to Narooma Golf Club two years ago in the fallout of the 2019-20 bushfires, as the club provided shelter to 500 people and their pets, but then had to close as they had no supplies left and no access to power.

Mr Sargent said it's impossible to single out a particular club in the Northern Rivers region most deserving of financial support, with so many working around the clock to provide assistance.

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"I've heard stories this morning about Murwillumbah, and I know Ballina RSL has been hit particularly hard, but that's why we have these initiatives in place through ClubsNSW," he said.

"We know ClubsNSW will divert the funds with the best interests of respective clubs in mind, so it gives us comfort knowing how the donation will be used."

ClubsNSW represents more than 1200 clubs across the state, with a key goal to put the interests of clubs and the communities first.

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