Coal & Allied mines make Christmas donation to cancer research

Hunter Valley miner Coal & Allied is making a special Christmas donation to Cancer Council NSW this month in support of the Council's cancer research, prevention and support services in the state's regional areas.

Coal & Allied's Hunter Valley Operations, Mount Thorley Warkworth and Bengalla mine sites are contributing towards a $10,000 donation to the Council, in lieu of the money they would have spent sending Christmas cards this year to customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

Instead they will send stakeholders some festive goodwill and wishes via email - and in turn build on a significant fundraising effort for cancer activities undertaken by employees.

In total it will be a $20,000 donation to cancer research this Christmas, as Rio Tinto Coal Australia's Queensland mines are also making a similar donation to Cancer Council Queensland.

Cancer Council NSW CEO, Dr Andrew Penman, said the generous donation was greatly appreciated, and would be used to fund vital cancer research, prevention and support projects across the state, as well as specifically within the Hunter region.

"In the past year, Cancer Council has opened a brand new Cancer Information Centre in Newcastle at the Calvary Mater Hospital, and we are piloting our healthy eating nutrition program, Eat It To Beat It, in the Hunter region. These local projects, along with the $14 million we are investing in research and other services like the Cancer Council Helpline, would not be possible without generosity of the community and businesses like Coal & Allied," Dr Penman said.

Managing director Bill Champion said he is very proud of the fundraising for cancer that employees have supported, and welcomed the opportunity to recognise this and further enhance that support with a company donation.

"This year has been challenging for a number of reasons including uncertain markets due to the global financial crisis," Mr Champion said.

"Despite these difficult circumstances, our workforce has been exceptionally generous in its support of fund-raising initiatives for cancer research, and I am delighted to nominate Cancer Council as the recipient of this corporate donation."

Recent activities at Coal & Allied operations this year have included:

Hunter Valley Operations:

$7,000 to the Singleton Cancer Committee to help buy a prostate cancer machine for Singleton Hospital, enabling patients to be treated locally rather than travel to Newcastle

Mount Thorley Warkworth:

Annual participation in the 'Shave for a Cure' campaign for leukaemia
Annual participation in the Movember fundraiser for prostrate cancer
Sponsorship of $3000 in total to local woodturner Wayne Gardiner, who has raised $15,000 from his woodwork items with all proceeds going to the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia for Medical Research

Bengalla:

Annual participation in Cancer Council's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event
Regular sponsorship of the Muswellbrook Relay For Life, which also supports the Cancer Council
Annual participation in Movember fundraising for prostrate cancer
Employee awareness talks on prostrate cancer by survivor and employee Ollie Hall

Hunter Valley Operations general manager operations, Graham Gageler, said: "I'm really proud of what our workforce does in their own time to support the fight against cancer. There is a strong support base at HVO among employees who know that they are raising funds that directly enhance the quality of life for those who have been touched by cancer."

Mount Thorley Warkworth general manager operations, Cam Halfpenny, said: "These days most of us have been touched by cancer in some way, so I am very pleased to see the support and generosity of MTW's workforce in getting behind these regular cancer fundraising activities."

Bengalla general manager operations, Andrea Sutton, said: "Sometimes when people are suffering from cancer you can feel a bit helpless and that you can't do much to assist, but these are all ways that we're working together at Coal & Allied to do what we can to help beat cancer. "

RTCA manages Coal & Allied's three mines in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Those sites are also joining head office in Brisbane to donate a total of $10,000 to the Cancer Council NSW for cancer research in regional parts of that state.

In Queensland, RTCA manages the Blair Athol, Hail Creek, Kestrel and Clermont mines, which together with the head office in Brisbane are donating a total of $10,000 to the Cancer Council Queensland for cancer research in regional areas.

Media release - Coal & Allied mines make Christmas donation to cancer research [PDF: 35 KB]