While BlazeAid is known for helping out after bushfires, having been started following the Black Saturday fires in 2009, it now assists after any number of natural disasters.
Ray Sweeney is the camp co-ordinator of the charities efforts in Swanpool.
He is keen to hear from local farmers who need help, and from local people who might like to come along and volunteer.
“The role I’m doing is looking after the camp, making sure that people are getting fed and registering farmers,” Mr Sweeney said.
“We go out and have a look at the farms and assess the situation and speak to the farmers directly. Then I can organise the work groups to go out each day.
“Basically I coordinate the whole thing.
“We offer help in all natural disasters, from cyclones, to floods and bushfires.
“Wherever there’s need for fencing or assistance through BlazeAid we go in and give them a hand.”
Mr Sweeney said the Swanpool camp came about after BlazeAid was contacted by Benalla Rural City Council.
“Local people would have approached the council, they would have assessed that there is a need for us to come, then got in contact,” he said.
Mr Sweeney said he was unsure how many local farmers might need help and he was encouraging them to get in touch.
“Then we’ll know for sure how long we’re going to be here,” he said.
“It could be a week, it could be a month. We’ve got some camps that have been there for three years.”
Mr Sweeney said the local community had been great and he had flyers up in the local store.
“A lot of farmers should see those and they can get in touch. They can just pop into the hall here at the Albert Heaney reserve,” he said.
“Or they can phone me. My number is 0473 571 763. We also have an email address, swanpool@blazeaid.com.au”
If anyone in the local community would like to volunteer their time they can also get in contact with Mr Sweeney the same way.
As a charity that relies on assistance Mr Sweeney said any local businesses who could assist with equipment can also get in touch.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to BlazeAid you can do that via blazeaid.com.au/
Any volunteer that wants to help can camp at the Albert Heaney Reserve free of charge and will be well looked after.
“If anyone wants to come over and help we always want volunteers. Just give us a ring the day before,” Mr Sweeney said.
“Our day here starts at 6am when we have breakfast. After that we work out the teams.
“For all our volunteers BlazeAid will supply breakfast, all meals out on the farm, and some farmers give us morning tea.
“Then you always get a two-course meal at night when you come back to camp. We keep you fuelled up.
“If you are camping here we have showers, toilets and a kitchen. So volunteers can come and camp for a week and there’s no expense to them.”
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