HALF Yours became all theirs last week when Moree Cancer Support Group was handed a cheque for $3000 as part of the proceeds from a Melbourne Cup calcutta held at More Services Club last year.
Emerging topliner Half Yours charged away with the race that stops a nation in November, and staff at Moree Regional Australia Bank rushed to help Moree Cancer Support Group, which supports people in the Moree Plains Shire suffering from cancer or chronic illnesses.
The Melbourne Cup calcutta at Moree Services Club generates a big pool of cash, with a percentage of all money raised going to local not-for-profit organisations and charitable groups chosen by bank staff.
Nominated groups become beneficiaries for two years, with Moree Cancer Support Group this week receiving its second cheque in as many years.
Group secretary-treasurer Wendy Long, fellow committee members Gail Goldman and Amalda Field, and staff from Regional Australia Bank in Moree donated their time to sell calcutta tickets during the weeks leading up to the Melbourne Cup.
Moree branch manager Bronte Egan said staff have been helping Moree Services Club with the Melbourne Cup calcutta for more than 15 years.
“Staff volunteer their time to attend the club every Friday night for two or three hours during Friday night raffles in October, to sell the tickets,” Bronte said.
“It’s become a tradition. We all enjoy attending, as it’s always fun with many laughs and banter with club members and visitors as we try to sell as many tickets as possible.
“In lieu, we receive a donation of 10 per cent of the total pool raised and we then donate this to a community group of our choice.
“In the early years, money raised was always donated to Fairview Nursing Home – now Whiddon – for the Alzheimer and dementia wards,” Bronte said.
“However, in recent years we decided we’d like to share it with other groups within the community.
“We are very grateful to the Moree Services Club for allowing Regional Australia Bank to continue being part of this event,” she said.
Moree Cancer Support Group relies heavily on local donations, and last year also received $18,000 from Regional Australia Bank through the bank’s Community Partnership program.
Wendy Long said staff at the Moree branch are an incredible team.
“I don’t think people realise how generous this bank is, especially with its Community Partnership program,” Wendy said.
“It is a community bank, for our community, and is so generous. As a town, Moree is very generous – always has been and always will be.
“All the money we raise goes to people who suffer from cancer or chronic illnesses in the Moree Plains Shire,” she said.
“We’ve just bought some equipment for one of our clients who needs to have that type of equipment at home, as well as three syringe drivers for Moree Hospital.”
Syringe drivers are small, battery-powered devices that deliver continuous medication to manage symptoms when a person cannot swallow.
“One will be used for palliative care and two will be for the inpatient ward,” Wendy said.
Bronte Egan said the Regional Australia Bank Community Partnership program allows members to support the causes that matter most to members, by using an eligible everyday account and nominating a recipient group from more than 2200 registered community organisations and causes.
“Our Community Partnership program is another example of where we provide our best community support, and in 2025 we paid out $2.792 million across our network to all registered Community groups,” she said.
“I’m very proud to be part of Regional Australia Bank and this partnership they offer to all community groups.”
