“We don’t have those funds coming in,” says Senior Vice President of the Hampton RSL, Corey Denning. “We want to showcase our venue as not relying on that, and instead showcase our community… [Electronic gaming] is not a good thing for veterans in need.”
When Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme launched in late 2023, Corey thought the idea had legs. The Hampton branch has a bistro and function rooms, providing an on-site stream of drink containers.
“I’d seen some other community groups that I’m loosely associated with had started collecting, and I thought, that sounds like something we should be doing. Our bins are always full of glass and cans,” he said. “We’re very keen to minimise the [environmental] impact of that, and this way we get something for it.”
As the funds raised by Hampton approach $3000, Corey says branch members are delighted. The branch’s 10 cent refunds mostly go towards gardening services for members with limited mobility, and recently, they’ve arranged to contribute towards the installation of a stair-lift chair for a veteran in the Hampton community.
“We’re very happy. Anything for our veterans in need, really,” Corey says.
Up in Maldon, in the Victoria’s north west, Branch President Kevin Moschetti has his sub-branch’s collections down to an art. Unlicensed and like Hampton, without electronic gaming, the Maldon branch operates from a hall leased from the state government.
“Part of the lease is that we’ve got to maintain the building, and it’s a hundred years old,” Kevin says.
“We’ve always relied on grants, we’ve upgraded the kitchen, the windows, and the veranda. Those funds aren’t as readily available as they were in the past. We needed to raise the money ourselves.”
The thing with living in a small town is you can wind up feeling like you’re asking the same people to donate again and again, Kevin says. The sub-branch needed to look at other income streams.
“We get a portion of our membership fees, we do a wood raffle and meat raffles, and we receive donations when community groups come and use the hall,” he says. “It’s about thinking, where is your money coming from? When you have funds coming in regularly, you can plan. This scheme is a major part of our next five years of planning.”
The sub-branch started by contacting members, friends and family and asking them to hold onto their empties, then got in touch with local pubs and cafes.
“We do a collection run every week on a Monday afternoon, so people know we’re coming. Many people in town contribute, including all the weekenders,” he says.
It’s been a success. Between that and people donating their refunds at the town’s over-the-counter refund point, the Maldon RSL sub-branch is raising around $400 a month through container returns.
“The [containers] are at times a bit messy, but the money’s clean,” Kevin says.
That money has gone towards restoration works, contributing to the whole north wall of the hall being replaced, plus power upgrades, replacing rotten weather boards on the west wall, and new carpet.
There’s more to come, and the people of Maldon are on board.
“We’re a part of the community here. We have their support, and we need to keep them informed,” Kevin says. “We don’t want to have our hand out all the time.”
Want to know more?
- Head to the Hampton RSL website
- Check out our fundraising page
- Find your nearest refund point
