14/07/2023
Five Hunter charities will share more than $130,000 to continue their vital community work thanks to Tomago Aluminium’s award winning, employee-run, Workplace Giving Fund.
This year’s recipients are Hunter Melanoma Foundation, Jenny’s Place, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Calvary Mater Newcastle Haematology Department and Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
Tomago Aluminium interim CEO, Nigel Backhouse, said the Workplace Giving Program provides much needed support to charities who are doing great work to support the community in which our employees live and work.
This year’s funding will support the fight against melanoma, sick kids in hospital, local cancer services, domestic and family violence services and aero-medical rescue service for local people,” Mr Backhouse said.
“Currently 74 per cent of Tomago Aluminium’s workforce donate to our Workplace Giving Fund from their pay with the company making an additional donation,” he said.
We are extremely proud of our employees’ commitment to supporting the community. Over the past five years, the fund has donated more than $1 million to local charities.”
The fund supports Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service every year. Each year staff vote to select four other charities to receive funding. This year the helicopter service received $80,000 with the other charities each receiving $14,000.
Hunter Melanoma Foundation executive officer, Claudia Tolhurst said two in three people will be diagnosed with some sort of melanoma in their lifetime.
“This funding from Tomago Aluminium will help us to educate the community on prevention and early detection which is vital for successful treatment.” Ms Tolhurst said.
Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service acting head of marketing and fundraising Jason Bourke said Tomago Aluminium and its employees have been supporting the service for 35 years.
“Tomago Aluminium is one of the largest and most generous workplace donors for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service in the Hunter region. We are extremely fortunate to have the ongoing support of Tomago staff,” Mr Bourke said.
‘We recognise and thank each and every one of them. Their support allows us to deliver a world class aero-medical rescue service to the people of the Hunter and Northern NSW and assists us in saving the lives of more than 1500 people each year”.
Tomago Aluminium’s Workplace Giving Fund has been recognised for the past three consecutive years at the Workplace Giving Awards, winning a Gold Award in 2020.
Tomago Aluminium 2023 Workplace Giving Fund Recipients
- Starlight Children’s Foundation provides entertainment, games and deliveries to hospitalised children.
- Jenny’s Place provides direct relief and support to Hunter women and children who are experiencing or at risk of domestic violence and homelessness.
- Calvary Mater Newcastle Haematology Department- isthe major cancer care centre for the Hunter New England. Local Health District, providing outpatient and in-patient treatment.
- Hunter Melanoma Foundation is on a mission to defeat melanoma.
- Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service providing emergency aeromedical services to 1.5 million people across Northern NSW.
