Wilcannia COVID-19 outbreak: Tamworth Evening CWA branch and Pink Battalion gym send brightness boxes to COVID-19 impacted community

Sophie Bailey is a member of Tamworth Evening CWA and a nurse, and was shocked to hear about the unfolding situation where more than one-in-six people have been infected.

"I heard stories of the overcrowding and people living pretty rough, I saw a woman on TV washing her clothes in the Darling River and it really struck me that these people are living in Australia and through no fault of their own are faced with a scenario where they are made to stay at home," she said.

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"They are following the public health orders we all are but in very different circumstances; struggling to put food on the table, house their kids and feed them on top of home-schooling and a lack of employment.

"This was our way to show some compassion to vulnerable people in the community."

The CWA branch and Tamworth women's-only gym Pink Battalion worked together to collect personal hygiene products and activities to keep the Wilcannia community entertained in lockdown.

The 13 boxes headed to Wilcannia Public School were put together in just more than a week with the help of family and friends and members of Pink Battalion gym.

After the outbreak in Wilcannia the NSW Government sent 30 caravans to the rural community for infected people to self-isolate.

By that stage a significant portion of people had already been infected. Ms Bailey said she can't imagine how devastating it has been.

"It's literally in the middle of nowhere, I thought about how I as an individual could show them that someone cares and do something tangible to help them and it evolved from there," she said.

"Sami from Pink Battalion jumped on board immediately and said they would happily donate as much as they can.

"Wilcannia had 12 cases in the first few days of this week, in the news we all hear about the impacts of COVID in southern and western Sydney but there's definitely a need for us to understand that regional communities like Wilcannia don't have good access to healthcare."

Anyone who wants to support can contact Tamworth Evening CWA branch.

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