Supercars partners respond to COVID-19

During this worldwide pandemic, key partners of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship have been working hard to support their customers, medical professionals, and those in need.

Below are several examples of how some of Supercars’ key partners have done their part to support others over recent months.

VODAFONE

Vodafone recognises that many of its customers’ needs and situations have rapidly changed because of the COVID-19 impacts.

To support them during this challenging and sometimes uncertain time, Vodafone has introduced a range of initiatives to keep customers connected with those most important to them.

Vodafone has also worked hard increase local contact centre capacity, to take more of calls and answer customer questions.

Vodafone is incredibly grateful to Australia’s frontline healthcare workers that are caring for patients in need during the COVID-19 crisis. To show its gratitude, Vodafone has offered registered frontline healthcare workers on a postpaid mobile plan, two months plan fees on us via application until June 8th 2020.

A range of other initiatives are available for Vodafone customers, including:

For full details of Vodafone’s COVID-19 support initiatives, visit https://www.vodafone.com.au/covid-19

CENTURY BATTERIES

Century Batteries has been working hard to show its appreciation for the tireless efforts of health care superheroes.

Fifty free Century Battery Monitors were offered to health care workers, to give their car battery a health check through a mobile phone. The monitor sends alerts whenever the voltage, charging or cranking capacity drops.

Century also ran an Aussie Bill Buster competition to say thank you for supporting Australian Made products.

One lucky Australian customer entered a competition and received $1,000 off their household bills simply by guessing how many Aussie Made lollies surrounded an Aussie made Century Battery.

This promotion received nearly 8000 entries in two weeks.

NTI (Truck Assist)

NTI has launched a national campaign to thank truck drivers, cargo and warehouse personnel, construction workers and all those keeping Australia moving.

The NTI Thank You campaign is targeted to the transport and logistics operators who work tirelessly to ensure medical supplies, groceries, and more are reaching their destinations across the country.

It is also a way to show gratitude to the tradies and construction companies who continue to maintain infrastructure, and the repairers and service providers working hard to ensure businesses can continue helping Australia operate.

This campaign is about showing respect and gratitude to the people who work tirelessly every day to ensure Australians get what they need and that’s why it’s important to stop and say “Thank You”.

COOPERS

Coopers is partnering with key watering-holes across Australia to virtually “open” their doors for music gigs with the Coopers Live, Loud & Local series.

To tune in, punters head to the specific pub’s Facebook pages where a line-up of Australia’s favourites, from musicians to chefs will turn it up and entertain, live from their living rooms or studios.

Venues include Leonard’s House of Love in Melbourne, Coopers’ Original Ale House in Adelaide, The Sandbar in Perth, and The Northern in Byron Bay with Sydney and Brisbane venues to be announced soon.

The gigs are interactive with prizes to be won each night. Coopers are giving away jugs of beer and meals at the pubs, helping drive footfall back to venues when doors reopen, as well as spot prizes of delivery options. There are product and merchandise giveaways, helping punters transform their homes into their very own mini pub.

“In these uncertain times we know that a bit of familiarity is warmly welcomed. So, while you can’t get to your local to enjoy a beer with friends, we’re going to bring the local to you,” says Dr Tim Cooper AM, Managing Director.

“Together with our Coopers community, from the talented musicians, to the weekly quiz masters, and of course the pubs we love, we hope Live, Loud and Local brings a smile to faces all over Australia.”

Coopers is also supporting its pubs and other customers by encouraging the return of kegs from trade for a refund, at a cost of nearly $4 million. Additionally, it is working with their customers to provide tangible support when pubs reopen their doors.

To celebrate the beginning of the end of ISO, Aussie band Ocean Alley will join hosts Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst for the final weekend stream of Coopers’ Live, Loud & Local, a virtual entertainment. Getting on board is easy via www. cooperslocal.com.au.

So, crack open an ice-cold Coopers, head to your favourite pub's Facebook page and enjoy some of Australia's best talent at home. Suddenly isolation doesn't seem so bad.

FORD AUSTRALIA

How Ford Australia is helping the community during COVID-19:

Face shield production: Ford Australia is producing up to 250,000 face shields at its Broadmeadows facilities for frontline healthcare workers and others who need them. Ford worked with the government to test prototype face shields in five Victorian hospitals – the face shields are now being produced and distributed at scale.

Ford 2nd Car program: More than 130 frontline healthcare workers are benefiting from access to a free Ford loan vehicle for up to four weeks, through the Ford 2nd Car program. Access to the vehicles is designed to help these essential workers travel safely to and from work. Vehicles are available across every state and territory nationwide.

Salvation Army: Ford loaned the Salvation Army a Transit van to help them cope with increased demand for their meal service, which serves those who are disadvantaged during this time

Give Where You Live (GWYL): Ford Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford globally, is supporting Give Where You Live (GWYL), a charity helping vulnerable Geelong residents with food and other supplies, with a donation for COVID-19 support.

REPCO

Friday 1 May, 2020 was Starlight Day, an annual fundraising event developed by the Starlight Children’s Foundation (SCF) to help seriously ill and hospitalised children, and their families.

Despite the many challenges posed by a very different and challenging climate this year, Repco Australia pivoted the style of their usual fundraising efforts and still raised $52,500 for the SCF, by donating $1 from every transaction from 1-3 May.

Repco, a long-time and very proud partner of the SCF, developed a support campaign that spanned both their Retail and Trade business channels reaching out to hundreds and thousands of consumers via email and a digital media campaign.

Whilst the initiative was initially capped at $40,000, a further $12,500 was raised by a network of over 320 Repco stores across Australia, in addition to a separate donation from a generous supplier.

The total donation of $52,500 made a significant impact on SCF’s $250,000 target, of which they only just fell short of receiving.

Repco stores have a successful history of rallying behind Starlight Day each year by transforming their stores into Starlight-like environments to improve awareness to the SCF’s cause and of course, raise much needed funds.

Repco team members dress up in the signature Starlight shade of purple, they add theatre in-store by wearing fancy-dress costumes, they merchandise stores with SCF products, including counters and shelves, which are transformed into Starlight colours.

Over the past four years, Repco has raised close to $350,000 for the SCF.

Repco looks forward to continuing to support SCF in any way possible so that together, the organisations can bring even more happiness and support to sick kids and their families.