Bayswater: St Columba’s Primary School students support farmers through fundraiser

ST Columba’s Primary School has raised more than $2000 for farmers as part of its Fiver for a Farmer fundraiser.

Students dressed up as farmers and farm animals on August 17 to help keep farms running as well as providing food and mental health support for families.

Funds will go towards SchoolAid’s Hay for Hampers for Hope campaign.

The campaign involved 10,000 schools around Australia donating $100 each towards hay for drought-affected livestock and hampers for farming families that are struggling to meet their living expenses.

Pre-kindergarten teacher Chelsea De Luca said students took part in reading news articles, watching online clips, STEM activities on the drought and dreamtime story-telling before the fundraiser.

She said as part of each $5 family donation, students received a sausage sizzle with buns from the Train Stop Bakery in Bayswater and sausages from Avon Valley Meats in Malaga.

SchoolAid founder and chief executive Sean Gordon said farming families were often last to ask for help and the first to lend a hand.

“Hay and Hampers for Hope is about harnessing the collective power of Australia’s youth to help those who have given us so much, both economically and culturally,” he said.

“If you’re a young person and you’re distressed by these images on the news of starving sheep and farmers doing it tough, get involved because there’s now something you can do about it.”