To our Members, Affiliates and Friends,

Following the disastrous bushfires on Black Saturday, February 7th 2009, the RHSV set up a Disaster Relief Fund with an initial grant of $10,000. With generous support from our members, affiliated clubs and member clubs of the Garden Clubs of Australia, the fund increased to nearly $30,000. We have made several grants the largest of which was $3200 to purchase 10,000 daffodil bulbs. This was in answer to a request by the Shire of Murrindindi who will plant the bulbs along the roadway leading through Narbethong.

Further disasters in the form of flood hit the Numurkah area of Victoria and the fund was used to renew the gardens at the Numurkah Hospitals Aged Care facility. This has provided a restful environment for those at the centre as only a garden can.

The fund is still active and is slowly growing for future use. Regular donations are made by members for which we are extremely grateful. All funds donated are used for emergency support. No administration or management costs are taken from the fund.

If you are able we would be very pleased to accept new donations to the fund. Hopefully they will go to an ever increasing balance and not be used.

If you know of any community who needs help, not just from bushfires and floods , please e-mail or write to our secretary.

Your donations, made out to the RHSV Disaster Relief Fund, are very gratefully received as this Fund will be on-going for some time yet.

RHSV Disaster Relief Committee

At the time of the bushfires Garden Clubs of Australia supported the fund and subsequently great works were done. It is now truly an Australia wide fund that shows the great support and unity of Australia’s  Gardeners.