Showing City People Do Care

AFTER listening to Anto White from Belltrees tell how dire the drought has become on Alan Jones’ radio program, two city ladies were inspired to hit the road and help out. (See story: Farmers Speak Out).

Diana Berckelman, from Mosman said she spent all of her school holidays as a child on a sheep station near Crockwell and her friend Barbara Osmond from Neutral Bay had a property north of Armidale for a number of years.

“We were watching for the rain every night on TV to see if farmers are getting any rain where they need it,” said Ms Berckelman.

“Since we often go away for a couple of nights together, we thought why don’t we do something to help people in drought,” she said.

“So we got some groceries together and we set off with that,” she said.

“First of all we went to a dairy herd at Picton, they are doing it tough there and we met a lovely fellow who started adopt a cow and my friend Barbara had adopted a cow so that was good,” she said.

“Then we set off to the Upper Hunter,” she said.

“We thought gee if the White’s property is in trouble everywhere is,” she said.

“Apart from going away and enjoying ourselves, which we did anyway, we were able to drop off some groceries and spend money along the way at cafes, motels and petrol stations and that all helps people in the bush and it makes it more worthwhile,” said Diana Berckelman.

Diana said they’d encourage more people in the city to go away for the weekend and spend time in country towns doing it tough and said there are people in the city who care about what is happening with the drought.

Lee Watts, manager of the Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre said it was a lovely contribution from the ladies.

“It is just wonderful to see that people in the city care enough to jump in the car and deliver groceries to people in our community who need it,” said Mrs Watts.

“So many people in our community are being impacted by the drought and the more groceries we have in the food pantry the better,” she said.

“It was lovely to get their donation and talk to such compassionate people, it goes to show people really do care,” Lee Watts said.

Pitching in to help: Barbara Osmond, Lee Watts and Diana Berckelman.