“The branch members offer ideas and then we vote on it, and the four that we voted on this time were Backtrack, The Armidale Neighbourhood Centre, Angel Flight and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter,” Jenny said.

“They’re all being presented with a cheque each for $1000. The reason we are able to do that is because we have tenants in our CWA hall, and the rent from that allows us to do this sort of thing.

“As part of the disbursements were giving $5000 to the Disaster Relief Fund that is going to drought assistance. The CWA is the central disbursement for all of those.”

Jenny said it was part of what CWA was friendship cooking and craft and a range of other things.

Robbie Passmore from Armidale Neighbourhood Centre said the donation was important at a time when the wider region was struggling.

“As a Neighbourhood Centre we’re on the government’s drought relief website as one of the first points of contact for families who are in crisis around the state from the drought,” she said.

“That $1000 is going to help us bring on and train more volunteers help deal with the increase in need.”

Angel Flight pilot Nick Oxley thanked the CWA for its donation and said it would go towards the cost of fuel.

Jack Dimmock started at Backtrack this year and thanked the CWA.

“The $1000 you guys gave us is going to go towards our homes and food and stuff, and also the petrol for us to go on jobs,” he said.

“It also pays for the school books and stuff like that. It does a lot for us.”