Julie:

The Riverina Pesbytery of the Uniting Church has been organising teams of volunteers to go to VIC and help rebuild some of the fences that were destroyed in the bushfires. The teams have been working in the area of the Beechworth fires and liaising with the local Kergunyah church. Many of the volunteers are retired farmers who have had fencing experience, but a number of others have not fenced before but are keen to help in any way they can. I was delighted to spend a week there coordinating some of the teams.

After the first month over 50 volunteers have put in over 1000 hours of work. This included pulling down burnt fences, putting in steel posts and running wire through the posts. Local support has been terrific with David at the Dederang Pub providing free accommodation and the sandwich shops providing good prices on lunches etc. Landholders have on occasions also provided lunches for the teams and very nice morning and afternoon teas. The rest of the expenses are being met by the Uniting Church Disaster Fund and donations.

Meeting and talking with landholders has also allowed us to do some pastoral care with people who are still in "shell shock" after the fires and link them with local services and church people if wanted.

If anyone would like to join one of the midweek or weekend teams send an email with dates available to bushfire.fencing@nsw.uca.org.au