The Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust has given the remaining $12,291 of the regional drought relief fund to the East Coast Rural Support Trust.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chair Rick Barker says it made sense to give the funds to the Rural Support Trust, which provides critical personal and financial support to vulnerable farming families in Hawke’s Bay.

Karen Phillips, chair of the Hawke's Bay Rural Advisory Group, which led the response to the 2020 drought, says the fund was set up in response to the most complicated and prolonged droughts in living memory and to support the cost of transporting feed to farms.

“The Rural Support Trust were a key agency in the drought response, and it’s great to be able to support them to continue their important work in the rural community.”

East Coast Rural Support Trust’s Mike Barham says the Trust is very grateful for the donation.

“These funds will go towards our work with farmers to build resilience in their farming systems to future natural disasters,” he said.
 

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