Papa Mo's invites community to raise funds for Australian bush fires

The devastation caused by bush fires in Australia has prompted Tauranga businesses to put on special fundraisers.

Papamoa's Papa Mo's is holding a Relief Keg for Australian bush fires on January 17 at 3pm.

People can choose the price of their The Island Easy Lager pint until sold out, with 100 per cent of the proceeds donated to men and women who have helped control and minimise the fires from spreading further. A minimum donation for beer does apply.

The Pāpāmoa restaurant and bar will also be holding a raffle and a barbecue, with all proceeds also being donated. Again, people can choose their price.

Papa Mo's owner-operator Luke van Veen said the idea behind the fundraiser was to build awareness around the bush fires and get the community together to help make a difference.

"I know a lot of people out here in Golden Sands would want to, or have done, something."

Van Veen encouraged people to go along to the fundraiser with their friends or colleagues and said they hoped to raise at least $1000.

"I would say it's going to take years for any of it to be fully back to way it was. Thousands of hectares and wildlife, all gone," he said.

"As things change in the climate, events like these fires in Australia can do some scary things."

He said Papa Mo's was trying to build awareness and do what it could to get the local community together. "Every donation makes a difference."

Van Veen said local businesses had donated prizes for the raffle but he was still looking for expressions of interest from other local businesses to come on board.

Papa Mo's owner operator Luke van Veen. Photo / George Novak

Meanwhile, a community event is being organised by a local business to raise funds for both WIRES Wildlife Rescue and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The event was being put together by Hollie Procter from The Honest Platter and involved donations from several businesses throughout the community.

Feast for the Fires will be held at Macau on The Strand offering a night of top quality food, drink and live music on January 23.

Everything for the event will be donated by local businesses to ensure all proceeds raised through ticket sales could be gifted to the charities.

The plan was to sell 100 tickets valued at $80 each to raise $8000 towards bush fire relief.