Norco’s Lismore team recently celebrated a major community milestone, contributing $500,000 to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service through its long running employee giving program.

Unlike traditional corporate donations, this contribution is powered entirely by grassroots generosity. For years, Norco employees have voluntarily donated from their pay packets, while team members at the Lismore ice cream factory also collect and recycle cans year-round – with every dollar going directly to the rescue helicopter that serves their region.

The milestone carries special significance for the community, particularly Lismore local Scott Jones, who credits the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service with saving his life after he was critically injured in an explosion at the Lismore Turf Club where he worked. Mr Jones was airlifted to hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew, providing the urgent care window he needed to survive.

Norco CEO Michael Hampson says that reaching the $500,000 milestone is something the entire Norco family is incredibly proud of.

“This isn’t a corporate initiative – it’s our people, week after week, choosing to support a service that has stood by our community in its toughest moments,” he says.

“As a 100% farmer owned cooperative, supporting and giving back to our communities is at the heart of who we are. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has saved countless lives across our region and knowing that our contributions help keep that helicopter in the air means everything to us.

“Our employees have driven this from the ground up and their generosity speaks volumes about the spirit of this region, and the values Norco was built on.”

John Bancroft, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Regional Partnerships Officer, says that the organisation is incredibly grateful for the long-standing support from the local Norco workforce.

“Their ongoing commitment – from payroll giving to collecting and recycling cans – has a direct and meaningful impact on our ability to respond when the community needs us most,” he says.

“Every mission we fly is made possible by the generosity of people like the Norco team. Reaching the $500,000 milestone is an extraordinary achievement, and we applaud each and every person who has contributed.”

To mark the achievement, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service recently presented Norco with a framed flight jacket in recognition of the cooperative’s ongoing support.