Bathurst VIEW Club are urging the community to donate to The Smith Family's Winter Appeal

This is why the Bathurst Voice, Interests and Education of Women (VIEW) club is calling on the community to give generously to The Smith Family's Winter Appeal.

The Smith Family is an Australian, independent non-profit children's charity, which focuses on creating opportunities for disadvantages children and their families by using education as a tool.

VIEW was founded in 1960 by the general secretary of The Smith Family, as a means to work in conjunction with the organisation.

Matthew Hibberson, The Smith Family family partnership coordinator for Bathurst and Lithgow said that across Australia, The Smith Family is aiming to assist 14,000 students this winter, by raising 6.2 million dollars.

The cost-of-living crisis has had a significant impact on families across the country, with many people having to make difficult decisions about where to spend their limited funds.

A lot of the time, education is put on the back-burner.

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This is why the two organisations are teaming up to raise much needed funds, which will be allocated between educational and advocacy programs, the purchasing of uniforms and resources for children in need, and any other essentials including money for excursions.

It will also be used to purchase technologies that are necessary for learning.

"It goes towards laptops and connecting the NBN and things like that," Mr Hibberson said.

And, most importantly, the money that is donated within Bathurst, will directly benefit members of the local community.

Mr Hibberson stated an example of one child who has been assisted by The Smith Family, and this year, they will be able to attend their first school camp thanks to the generosity of community donations.

"Education is the key as well, because without teaching them and giving them these life skills, it just repeats the process of poverty," Mr Hibberson said.

The VIEW Club is also instrumental in supporting the work of The Smith Family, which is something that Jennifer Gray, the Bathurst VIEW publicity officer is very proud to do.

This is why she is encouraging community members to do the same.

"We want to raise the profile of The Smith Family, because it's a really fantastic thing, I've heard stories of so many kids' lives and how they have changed," she said.

"It is really critical at the moment, because the last thing we really want to see when families are struggling, is more people falling behind with school because their parents can no-longer afford things."

As well as falling behind, Ms Gray said that a lack of resources can also be detrimental to students' self-esteem.

"It allows them to feel like they're included and they're not different," she said.

"If they can go to school in the proper uniform and the proper everything, so that they fit in, then they don't feel this discrimination and this separation from people, and I think that's really critical to their self-esteem."

Donations to The Smith Family Winter Appeal can be made online, along with more information regarding the work of VIEW and The Smith Family.

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