Longford Newsagency one of many Winter Relief donation points

By Johanna Baker-Dowdell | 11 Jun 2019

ALL COINS COUNT: Mitch Talbot and Deb Norris, of Longford Newsagency, with their Winter Relief donation container. Picture: Phillip Biggs

As a newsagent with a collection tin or two always on the counter, Mitchell Talbot knows how easily lots of coins add up to something big.

Mr Talbot, who owns Longford Newsagency, has a Winter Relief collection container, but often has tins for more than one cause for his customers to support.

“Lots of locals shop here. Whatever change they have left they normally throw in,” Mr Talbot said.

“It might be a few cents, or dollars, but they will throw it into the Winter Relief tin or Guide Dogs.”

A team of nine staff work at the Longford newsagency, which Mr Talbot has owned for just over five years.

It is fitting to delve into newsagency contributions as it is National Newsagents’ Week.

Recent research by the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association showed almost all (92 per cent) of newsagent respondents said chatting with their customers was an important part of their business.

As a group, newsagents are also big supporters of charities, an association spokeswoman said.

“Twenty per cent of respondents said they support 10 or more charities, 22 per cent said they support between five and ten and 44 per cent said they support up to five charities a year. Ten per cent said there were too many to count!”

Longford Newsagency is one of many Northern Tasmanian newsagencies collecting donations for The Examiner’s Winter Relief Appeal.
In 2018 these businesses combined donated more than $1500 of the almost $79,000 raised for the appeal.

The Examiner’s Winter Relief Appeal is celebrating 61 years.
The Winter Relief Appeal supports four Northern Tasmanian charities – St Vincent de Paul, the Benevolent Society, Red Cross and City Mission.

For 2019 we would like to reach the $75,000 mark.

HOW TO DONATE:

If you’d like to donate to The Examiner’s Winter Relief Appeal, you can by:
Donate in person, at The Examiner’s office in Cimitiere Street or at participating businesses
Electronic funds transfer BSB 035-822, Account 011443537

BPAY biller number 49429, reference 0100 0406190 01443537 0.

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