GREYHOUND INDUSTRY PULLS ON A FLANNO TO BACK AUSSIE FARMERS

GRNSW

Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) will proudly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Australia’s farming community on Friday 15 August, pulling on flannelette shirts and raising funds for the ‘Flanno for a Farmer’ campaign, a vital initiative supporting farmers doing it tough through drought, floods, fires, and economic hardship.

Across all NSW greyhound race meetings at Wagga, Goulburn, Richmond and Newcastle’s Ladbrokes Gardens, a unique fundraising twist will turn every race into an opportunity to help rural communities and raise awareness of the plight of farmers.

In the 45 races across the four venues, if an odd-numbered box wins a race, the local racing club will donate $200 to Flanno for a Farmer. If an even-numbered box wins, GRNSW will donate $200.

Those 45 donations will see $9,000 donated to Flanno for a Farmer, but GRNSW has decided to make it a $10,000 donation, with every dollar going directly to Farm Angels, who provide care packs, financial aid, and mental health support to farmers across Australia.

GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Steve Griffin said the initiative is about recognising the enormous contribution farmers make to the state and the nation, and showing them they’re not alone.

“Our farmers feed and clothe the country. They endure some of the harshest working conditions imaginable, and while they are resilient, they shouldn’t have to shoulder those challenges without support,” Mr Griffin said.

“Every 10 days, we lose an Australian farmer to suicide. That’s a heartbreaking reality we can’t ignore. By joining the ‘Flanno for a Farmer’ campaign, we’re sending a message that the greyhound racing community values and supports our rural heartland, and we encourage everyone to get behind this cause.

“GRNSW has decided to bring Friday’s tally up to $10,000 but we shouldn’t stop there for this vital cause. Everyone has the opportunity to donate to the campaign via the official GRNSW Flanno for a Farmer fundraising page www.flannoforafarmer.com.au/grnsw-1 .

“I thank our clubs for their involvement and encourage everyone within or outside our industry to get involved.”

For one day only, handlers will be ditching the usual branded bibs with the approval of the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC), to pull on flannelette shirts in a bold show of solidarity for the campaign.

GRNSW also sought approval from the industry’s major sponsor, Ladbrokes - whose branding adorns the handlers’ bibs – to forgo the bib sponsorship obligation for the cause.

“Ladbrokes is proud to be a long-standing partner of GRNSW, and we’re especially pleased to support the Flanno for a Farmer initiative. We recognise the important role racing plays in strengthening rural communities, and this cause is a fantastic example of the industry giving back where it’s needed most,” Ladbrokes Interim CEO Andrew Vouris said.

Flanno for a Farmer shares a simple but powerful message: “We are wearing a flanno and raising funds for Aussie farmers, because right now, they need our support more than ever … Every dollar makes a difference and shows our farmers they’re not alone.”

How to get involved:

The public can back the campaign by donating via the official GRNSW Flanno for a Farmer fundraising page https://www.flannoforafarmer.com.au/grnsw-1

Photo and vision opportunities will be available at all four NSW tracks on Friday 15 August, featuring handlers in flannos, their greyhounds, and the racing action.

MEDIA CONTACT Michael Cowley. [email protected]