Retravision store manager Ben Fetherston (middle) presents cheque to Esperance RFDS auxiliary treasurer Sashe Starr (left) and secretary Helen Anderson (right). Photo: Nikki Bailey.
Retravision Esperance has donated a sizeable cheque to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) as part of its annual charity drive.
Store manager Ben Fetherston handed over $4,700 to the Esperance RFDS auxiliary secretary Helen Anderson and treasurer Shashe Starr last Thursday.
Ms Anderson said the donated money would go towards medical equipment for the RFDS aircrafts.
“We’re extremely grateful to Retravision for their continuing and ongoing support,” Ms Anderson said.
“So many people have been touched by the RFDS in some way and we just really appreciate their support.”
Ms Anderson said in 2024, the RFDS made 341 flights out of Esperance at a cost of around $14,000 per flight.
She said injury and poisoning, digestive system issues, and circulatory system problems were the three top reasons for retrievals from Esperance last year.
She said three newborn critical emergencies were also airlifted.
The RFDS relies on the local, volunteer-run auxiliaries to raise funds and awareness for its community services.
RFDS treasurer Starr said Esperance was one of the biggest contributors for the statewide RFDS WA.
Esperance Retravision has supported the service for around 10 years, according to store manager Mr Fetherston.
He said everybody he knew in Esperance had been touched by the RFDS and it was a way for the community to give back.
“We’ve typically always run raffles to support the RFDS — we typically donate a heap of goods and raffle the tickets off but that’s become increasingly difficult to do because suppliers have restraints about what they can and can’t do,” Mr Fetherston said.
Rather than give up, we basically thought we’d take a different approach and donate five per cent of all our turnover for three days to the RFDS.
“This is the first year, the response wasn’t overwhelming but it was great for the community to get out and support in any way they could.”
RFDS WA services 2.5 million square kilometres.
Ms Anderson said auxiliary fundraising had contributed to some of the most significant aircraft, medical upgrades, and base expansions.
She said most donations from Esperance came from wood choppers who supplied firewood.
