Fuel Sponsorship

Mitchell / PBF Community Bus Fuel Sponsorship Program

The most recent initiative between Mitchell Corp and PBF Australia is the introduction of the Mitchell Corp/PBF Community Bus Fuel Sponsorship program.  This program was developed and is now coordinated by Mitchell Corp in partnership with PBF Australia.  It provides valuable fuel sponsorships for community based organisations transporting wheelchair users and other disabled people around town.

It is a goal of Mitchell to support the local communities in which their operations are based in ways that other funding bodies cannot. With the price of fuel ever increasing, it was a natural decision for Mitchell and PBF to develop this project to enhance the services provided by Home and Community Care in Port Hedland and the Eastern Goldfields Community Centre in Kalgoorlie. The high costs of fuel had already started to have an impact, with HACC reducing their transport services to clients. Now with the fuel sponsorship program, they have been able to increase their services; ensuring disabled people have access to basic facilities such as doctor's appointments and social engagements.The objectives for the Mitchell Corp/PBF Community Bus Fuel Sponsorship program are:

• To assist community organisations in delivering valuable services to the disabled community through the provision of fuel at no cost.
• To assist PBF Australia and Mitchell Corp to build and strengthen community relations.
• To allow greater access to community facilities for disabled people.
• To provide sponsorship that targets areas of greatest need within regional areas where Mitchell operations are based.
  

The Eastern Goldfields Community Centre (EGCC) in Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland's Home and Community Care (HACC) service are the first community organisations in WA to receive this sponsorship. Blue Care in Helidon QLD are also recipients of the program.

The EGCC provides support for 268 clients through their in-home services, including transport and the Adult Day Centre and associated activities. EGCC currently has between 10 and 15 clients across all programs that are dependent upon wheelchairs for mobility, for a variety of reasons including paraplegia, and therefore require the use of a vehicle with a hoist. The bus sponsored by this project transports all clients and has a hoist for disabled clients. The fuel sponsorship assists EGCC to continue their programs at minimum cost to clients (who have limited incomes as they are mostly on pensions) despite the rising fuel costs.

Similarly, Home and Community Care in Port Hedland provide services to 109 clients, of which ten are wheelchair users. The bus fuel sponsorship program allows HACC to be more flexible in its transport services, and reduces the impact the rising fuel costs have. Extra services added since the sponsorship began included transporting clients to the gym, to medical appointments and to social events, in between the towns of Port Hedland and South Hedland.

As recipients of this valuable sponsorship the HACC, EGCC and Blue Care buses are branded with program signage. Mitchell Corp and PBF have also generated local media to further promote the program and the valuable work of HACC, EGCC and Blue Care.

Mitchell Corp and PBF Australia are extremely pleased with the widespread response and community support for this program and hopes to continue the support in years to come.

 2006 Community Services Industry Awards

Congratulations to the team who work on this project, both from the Mitchell group and PBF Australia for being selected as a finalist in the 2006 Community Services Industry Awards. Whilst the project did not win, the fact that it was selected as a finalist is a great achievement.

Special thanks go to the Mitchell operations staff in Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland who help ensure the buses are refuelled and support the local agencies involved.