SOARING wool prices fittingly helped the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) stay in the air at this week’s Dyson Jones/ Australian Wool Network (AWN) wool sales where a record total of $17,460.40 was raised nationally.
Six bales of Merino wool ranging from 16.2 to 18.2 microns donated by Dyson Jones/AWN and sold at the Perth, Sydney and Melbourne wool sales, reaped the benefits of a buoyant wool market to help celebrate the 90th anniversary of the RFDS and continue its vital work in rural and remote areas.
Dyson Jones/AWN has donated Merino wool bales to the RFDS to be auctioned at the final sale of the financial year wool selling season for more than 15 years and has raised a total of $144,680.02 for the RFDS from the initiative.
The Fremantle sale raised $4192.40 from two bales of 17.2 micron wool which was purchased by Russell Fraser, representing TechWool Australia, one of the biggest buyers of Australian wool.
Mr Fraser said TechWool Australia has been a heavy supporter of the RFDS fundraiser in the past.
“TechWool has purchased the RFDS wool on several occasions in the past 10 years, is proud to support it again this year and looks forward to supporting it into the future,” he said.
RFDS WA community engagement manager Suzette Pritchard attended the Fremantle charity auction last week and said the organisation is very grateful for 15 years of support from Dyson Jones/AWN.
“RFDS can’t stay in the air without community support and fundraising initiatives such as this, every dollar helps,” Ms Pritchard said.
“It’s wonderful to see a regional based industry giving back to rural and remote communities and it’s even more special to get such a bumper result during our 90th anniversary year.”
Dyson Jones/AWN managing director John Colley said each year the dollars raised at the auctions assist its wool growing clients on the land and outback to access services that would otherwise not be available to them.
“The RFDS is always there providing extensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency services to people over an area of 7.69 million square kilometres,” Mr Colley said.
“This is a great opportunity for Dyson Jones/AWN to give back and simply say thank you to the RFDS for looking after our mates in the country who work so hard to keep us in wool and our dynamic industry alive and thriving.
“It was great to see our big year in wool sales reflected in the total amount raised this year.”
The Sydney sale saw two lots ranging from 16.7-17 micron sell for a total of $6927, purchased by Murray Bragg, New England Wool, who bought the wool on behalf of iconic, family-owned, Italian fabric house Vitale Barberis Canonico, which has famously been in the wool trade since 1663.
Mr Bragg said he was delighted to help out the RFDS.
“We’re all in this together,” he said.
“I know if I was ever stuck out in the bush I’d like to know the RFDS was there for me and the same goes for our woolgrowers and their families.”
Lou Morsch, director of wool buying for Modiano Australia, paid $6341 for two bales ranging from 16.2-18.2 micron at the Melbourne sale.
Modiano is one of the world’s most pre-eminent Italian wool processors.
