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The aggregator is set to launch a fundraiser to raise money for those affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Loan Market Group (LMG) has announced that it will be holding an auction and fundraiser at its upcoming annual conference to support those impacted by recent severe weather in South-East Queensland and northern NSW.
Originally scheduled for the Gold Coast last week (12–13 March), the event was rescheduled to 1–2 April after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall on 8 March, bringing with it damaging winds, torrential rain and hail and resulting in mass power outages, flash flooding and property damage.
Hundreds of schools were closed across Queensland and northern NSW, with many people still waiting for power to be restored on Friday (14 March).
With the clean-up now taking place in earnest, LMG has announced that it will be changing the focus of its upcoming broker celebration at the Growth Summit to be a fundraiser for impacted communities.
Taking place at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, the broker celebration evening was originally scheduled to be themed as the Wild West Broker Fest. However, this will now be the Wild West GiveFest and will raise funds for charities and services providing aid.
These include:
- Friends With Dignity, which provides aid and practical support to those escaping domestic violence (which typically spikes during and after natural disasters).
- Batyr, which works within communities to provide mental health education and support.
- Queensland State Emergency Service, whose volunteers provide emergency and rescue services.
A charity auction will also be held at GiveFest, hosted by Mark Churchill of Allfin, which will feature exclusive prizes and experiences, while a raffle and other activities will give attendees more ways to contribute.
As an auction prize, The Adviser’s parent company, Momentum Media, will donate a $6,000 advertising campaign on Smart Property Investment (SPI) – a major site and podcast brand for property investors. The package will help amplify the winning broker’s business and solutions to thousands of potential property investor clients.
LMG will also take direct donations throughout the event, with the aggregator stating it will dollar-match all money raised.
LMG’s newly appointed executive director and CEO, Ewen Stafford, said that rescheduling had created bigger opportunities for the event.
“Growth Summit has always been about bringing brokers together to sharpen their skills and drive growth. But right now, we’ve got a chance to do more, to show up for the communities that need us,” he said.
“By turning our broker celebration theme, the Wild West Broker Fest, into Wild West GiveFest, we’re giving brokers a way to come together and make a real difference for those who need it most.”
Stafford added: “The Gold Coast has always welcomed us, and now it’s our turn to show up for them.
“Brokers are all about helping people – that’s what they do every day. Growth Summit and our Wild West GiveFest is a chance for the industry to come together and extend that support to communities that need it most.”
Since ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit landfall earlier this month, banks and government bodies have been rolling out support schemes to help those affected.
That includes lenders introducing measures to aid customers, including mortgage repayment relief, waived fees, and credit limit increases.
The government also announced a $15 million Community Recovery Support Fund in NSW and $15 million in emergency assistance for South-East Queensland local governments to assist with clean-up and early recovery activities.
[Related: Banks and industry bodies step up support in wake of cyclone]
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