St Barbara Ltd Takes the Plunge for TLG!
TLG sponsor, St Barbara Limited, has decided to go the extra mile in supporting TLG’s pursuit of educational equality by participating in the QV1 Descent to raise funds for TLG programs.
The QV1 Descent is an annual fundraising initiative hosted by Urban Descent that gives participants the opportunity to raise funds for selected charities by abseiling 40 storeys (160m) off the QV1 building in the Perth CBD, the highest single pitch building in WA. This year the event has been postponed from early May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is due to take place from the 29-31 October. Several St Barbara Limited employees will be abseiling on behalf of TLG, including Leonora locals, Brayden Sprigg Dos Santos and Blake Norrie. St Barbara Limited operates the Gwalia Gold Mine 3km south of Leonora, Western Australia, and sponsors TLG’s bi-annual Rural Program at Leonora District High School (DHS). Both Brayden and Blake went to Leonora DHS before attending university in Perth, and returned to their hometown to work for St Barbara Ltd. We spoke to Brayden and Blake about their experience attending Leonora DHS, the impact of TLG’s programs, and what motivated them to ‘take the plunge’ for TLG.
QV1 participants Blake Norris (left) and Brayden Sprigg Dos Santos (right)
Brayden described the experience of growing up in Leonora as “incredible, you know everyone, everyone knows you and that’s a very safe feeling.” When asked how his experience differed from growing up in Perth, he talked about the increased freedom he was given as a child. “You could bike ride with your mates all afternoon, going as far and wide as you wanted and returning just before dark without the fear of getting into trouble. [They call us] red dirt kids because we grew up in the stuff... The red dirt here runs in our blood. It’s addictive, once you have had it you can’t get rid of it.” Brayden also said that he “really enjoyed going to school at Leonora DHS. I tell my friends about the excursions, camps and experiences Blake and I had in school here and they go ‘man, that would’ve been awesome, we were never allowed to do anything like that.’”
After completing high school, Brayden attended Curtin University and was later offered a position as a geologist through one of St Barbara’s graduate programs. He lives and works locally in Leonora. Blake is currently a Mine Technician for St Barbara Limited. He “jumped on board with St Barbs” after spending around four years working for Byrnecut as an underground miner. He told us he was motivated to do so because he wanted to “open [himself] up to some new opportunities.”
We asked Brayden what had motivated him and Blake to participate in QV1 to raise funds for TLG. Brayden said that the QV1 descent was “a great opportunity to give back to Leonora in a massively challenging way.” He told us that a few years ago he’d had the opportunity to abseil down the BHP Billiton building through Perth Demons but had “chickened out.” So when the opportunity arose for him to abseil for a cause “close to [his] heart,” he “volunteered straight away and signed Blake up without even asking him!”
The QV1 Descent will be a first for St Barbara Limited employees but certainly not the first time they have participated in community fundraising efforts. St Barbara Limited spokesperson Kylie Okely described St Barbara Limited and its employees as “passionate about giving back.” “Particularly,” she added, “to the communities where we operate. On top of regularly participating in events like CARE Australia’s Walk In Her Shoes Challenge and Movember, St Barbara Limited provides sponsorships and in-kind contributions to a number of organisations, and has contributed funds to organisations in times of need such as the recent bushfire crisis earlier this year and the 2018 earthquake in PNG… In the last two years alone, employees from our Leonora Operation have raised over $6,000 for various fundraising events.”
Kylie told us that St Barbara Limited employees had been motivated to participate in QV1 because they “recognise the importance of education and the opportunities it provides.” She described St Barbara Limited’s “close relationship with Leonora DHS” and how their employees “are committed to building strong relationships with students through engagement activities such as social netball games, volunteering at back to school events and the Career Pathways program.” She remarked that all the employees taking part in QV1 were “excited but incredibly nervous, as 40 storeys is a long way down.” Despite this, she said that everyone was “looking forward to meeting the challenge head on and raising funds for TLG.” She also added that “taking part in TLG’s QV1 challenge will inspire students of Leonora District High to aim high and achieve big things!”
TLG volunteers at Leonora DHS
We asked Brayden what kind of impact he thought TLG’s bi-annual Rural Program at Leonora DHS had. He told us that he thought TLG volunteers were “very inspiring” and helped give students a reason to go to school. “A lot of kids go to school because apparently it’s the right thing to do, not because it can open pathways for you,” he said. “With TLG’s one-on-one mentoring, kids can ask questions and start to really aspire for things.” Speaking for St Barbara Ltd, Kylie said that “having TLG in a remote town like Leonora is so important. It ensures students are getting the same educational opportunities as their metropolitan peers despite their location. Students love having TLG at the school. TLG brings a sense of fun to the classroom where students are learning without even realising it! We are proud that we can bring this program to the students at Leonora District High School.”
Finally, we asked Brayden if he would like to say anything to the students and staff at Leonora DHS. “I’m very thankful for all of the amazing teachers I had in Leonora,” he said. “They all taught me something different in school and in life through their stories and experiences. They taught me to appreciate what I had and to be grateful when I got opportunities later in life that I wasn’t privy to in Leonora. To all of the kids currently at Leonora DHS I just want to say: keep thinking big, keep learning, and keep asking lots of questions. There are so many opportunities and good people around you who want to help. And don’t let anyone feel sorry for you either, you are capable of achieving just as much as they are. Use the experiences you had growing up to guide and encourage you going forward.”
Support the students of Leonora DHS today by sponsoring Blake and Brayden, and our other St Barbara Limited participants Monique and Darrin .
If you are interested in taking the plunge yourself register here to sign up for the QV1 Descent.