Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My husband Ant and I live on the Monaro, where we run a self-replacing beef herd and trade sheep when the seasons allow. Our main block is at Nimmitabel, and we have a small block at Araluen, which we use to finish cattle over winter.
 

Why did you join the Rabo Client Council?

I felt honoured when the bank asked me to go on the Rabo Client Council five years ago. I feel it’s important to give to community and being part of the Council and the Community Fund is rewarding especially when you know the fund is making a difference within rural communities and the ag sector. It has also been great to meet other producers, farmers and bankers and establish connections right across Australia.
 

What are some of the key initiatives your Rabo Client Council has been involved in:

We’ve run Business Transition and Succession Planning workshops, as well as Financial Skills workshops. Having attended both, they are really fantastic in supporting the long-term capacity of our industry. The New South Wales Rabo Client Council played a key role in developing Module 2 of the Financial Skills workshop to cover gross margins and cashflow budgeting, which is a really important aspect in running a profitable farming business.

We’ve also supported a lot of community health initiatives, including Are You Bogged Mate?, which raises awareness of depression in the bush, and BackTrack Youth Works, which works with youth. Last year, we helped them fund a response team after the bushfires and also provided funding for equipment.

Earlier this year, we partnered with the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation to provide free skin checks for the Yass community. It was really successful – 160 people were checked, and there was a line at the truck all day as it was open to the whole community. Out of those checked, around half had something detected for follow-up, with some requiring more urgent attention. You just realise it is a huge issue and also how effective this initiative is. We are also supporting another session at Gunnedah AgQuip later this year.
 

What initiatives have had the most impact?

Having farmers on the ground in their communities on our Rabo Client Council means we can identify local needs and support initiatives that make a real difference. I think all the initiatives we have supported have had impact and are of merit. Whether it be supporting a school bus service, supporting after school care (which we have done in the past) or running workshops – each initiative has value and makes a positive contribution to the community.