Employees at Australian dairy co-op Norco have completed a fundraiser for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
Norco’s team in Lismore, New South Wales, raised the funds through the co-op’s employee giving programme, which sees staff voluntarily donate from their pay packet alongside on-site charity drives. The money goes directly to the rescue helicopter which provides medical and rescue assistance across New South Wales, with a focus on rural and remote communities.
One resident, Scott Jones, highlighted the value of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service, which airlifted him to hospital after he was critically injured in an explosion at his workplace.
Jones told Dairy News Australia: “To know local workers at Norco have been raising money for the service that saved my life – and so many others – means more than I can put into words. Their support helps make sure the helicopter is there for the next person who needs it, just like it was there for me.”
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Norco chief executive, Michael Hampson, added: “This isn’t a corporate initiative – it’s our people, week after week, choosing to support a service that has stood by our community in its toughest moments. As a 100% farmer-owned co-operative, supporting and giving back to our communities is at the heart of who we are.”
John Bancroft, regional partnerships officer at Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, said Norco’s commitment “has a direct and meaningful impact on our ability to respond when the community needs us most. Every mission we fly is made possible by the generosity of people like the Norco team”.
Image of Westpac helicopter: Fairfax Media via Getty
