Corporate 'gin-erosity'

Award-winning boutique distillery, Husk Distillers, has many admirers around the world for its range of specialty hand-crafted beverages, but for RFDS Victoria it is their gift of 500L of hand sanitiser that deserves the accolades.   

The New South Wales-based distillery uses small-scale cultivation methods to create high-quality Agricole rum, ink gin and now, in response to community need, their new Husk liquid sanitiser – a crucial component in keeping staff and clients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For co-founder Mandy Perkins, the donation to the Flying Doctor is motivated by a longstanding passion for the work of RFDS.

“To me, RFDS is a lifeline for people living in remote and isolated places," says Mandy. "I've spent some time on stations in the Northern Territory knowing that if there was an accident help was many hundreds of kilometres away. So I can only imagine that in the silence of the outback when things go badly wrong there’d be no better sound in the whole world than that of a light aircraft approaching.”

“The RFDS not only saves lives, it gives people in the bush peace of mind to know that when the worst happens, help is not so very far away. It’s just a wonderful organisation.”

Husk Distiller's donation has been further supported by Peter Shoobridge from Shoobridge Transport in Murwillumbah, who donated his time and resources to transport the sanitiser to RFDS - free of charge. Donations such as these make a huge difference to the Flying Doctor, with RFDS Victoria Chief Executive Scott Chapman commenting on their role in easing financial pressure on the organisation and alleviating anxiety amongst staff.

“It has been incredibly humbling to see the way businesses of all sizes – each of whom are no doubt encountering the same uncertain economic conditions that we all face –  have been so supportive of RFDS during this time,” he says.

“In-kind donations of this nature, reduce our expenditure on PPE at a time when supplies are low and costs – as a result – can often be much higher. They are also a great morale-booster for staff who feel really touched by the community support.”

The sanitiser has been distributed for use at RFDS road transport bases across New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.