The Farm’s newly opened wishing well enables Byron visitors to contribute directly to worthwhile local community projects. As The Farm received 500,000 visitors in the past year, the fundraising potential is strong, and 100 per cent of donations will go to the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF), a body that has channelled almost $1m in donations to the local community since 2004.
The Farm founder Tom Lane and his wife Emma are also digging into their own pockets, and at the well’s opening on Monday donated $5,000 to NRCF, plus an additional 50c to satisfy Echonetdaily photographer Jeff Dawson.
However, the Lanes hope that this will just be the start of a regular, significant annual contribution by The Farm to the community foundation. ‘Our philosophy is to “Grow, Feed, Educate”,’ says Tom Lane.
‘The Farm is all about inspiring and growing food, people and the community, but when we met John Callanan from NRCF we saw another way that we could give back. Our hope is that we can build a substantial financial fund to contribute to the many worthwhile community projects in the northern rivers through NRCF.’
NRCF’s chairman John Callana says the organisation has the largest geographic footprint of any community foundation in Australia, yet is in the top 15 per cent for fundraising., due to the generosity of philanthropic northern rivers locals, who can see the results of their donations in their own community.
‘We thank The Farm for their generosity’, said Mr Callanan, ‘but we also thank them for providing this mechanism for visitors to contribute directly to the community they love to visit.’
Potential donors are always welcome to call Mr Callanan directly on 0418321424 or see nrcf.org.au.
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