Donation from bank a godsend

The Manjimup Country Women’s Association will continue helping women and children in need, thanks to a donation from Commonwealth Bank’s Manjimup branch.

The $500 donated will go towards toiletries bags prepared by the CWA, for women who utilise the Warren Blackwood Emergency Accommodation Centre.

CWA president Maureen Barton thanked Commonwealth Bank for the donation.

“It’s a wonderful donation,” she said.

“We do between 40 and 50 bags per year.

“Holiday time is a bad time for domestic violence, so we always make sure we have some there, and they are always glad of them.”

As well as the toiletries packs, they also provide activities backpacks for children, with games and toys.

“Children have a rough time, they have their life turned upside down,” Mrs Barton said.

Mrs Barton said COVID had presented unique challenges for the organisation.

“I’m very proud of the girls,” she said.

“They have worked very well — mostly new members — it’s been a new batch of girls this year and I was very concerned at the beginning of the year because we’d only had the one meeting and rotten old COVID came along.

“So I had to make extra efforts to keep in touch with them so we didn’t all disintegrate and float away.”