Earthquake Relief

Working together with Oil Search Foundation (OSF) and Brian Bell Group the Sir Brian Bell Foundation distributed more than 1500 restoration packs to assist those affected by the PNG Highlands earthquake in February of 2018.

The 7.5 magnitude PNG Highlands earthquake resulted in several homes and crops lost. The Brian Bell Group stepped in to hold a special event which saw customers given the opportunity to purchase items at 15% off storewide with 100% of profits raised on the day to go towards putting together relief packs containing digging and cutting tools, crop seeds and water storage equipment.

Brian Bell Group chairman, Ian Clough, acknowledged the support of their customers and thanked OSF and Oil Search for helping with the distribution.

“As a proud Papua New Guinean company that has been part of the community for over 60 years, we feel responsible for contributing in whatever way we can to help the response when natural disasters such as the PNG Highlands earthquake occur. I acknowledge all of our many customers who shopped with us during the Earthquake Appeal sales day on Friday, April 13 this year and the OSF team for supporting distribution,” said Mr. Clough.

“Our family and our family of 1,200 team members want to join together in a national approach to provide community building aid to the affected regions. I am very pleased to announce that on the 13th April 2018, the Brian Bell Group will be creating a national campaign via all of our divisions including Brian Bell Homecentres, Brian Bell Chemicals, Brian Bell Trade Electrical, and Brian Bell Agriculture. We will be donating 100% of all profits from this day to the Earthquake victims.”

“While the day is all about giving, and making sure we have the maximum amount of profit to give. We want to incentivise all of PNG, with a storewide minimum 15% discount off all items in our stores. This is across all our divisions nationwide.” The Friday, 13th April 2018 will be a genuinely national opportunity for everyone to join together from all part of PNG to purchase a new item, while at the same knowing that the Brian Bell Group is donating 100% of all profits from this day to Earthquake victims.

The remote and rugged terrain and lack of roads to remote communities in earthquake-ravaged areas have made it difficult to reach and provide support to those most in need. Oil Search Foundation assisted Brian Bell and Sir Brian Bell Foundation to coordinate the distribution using Oil Search logistics capabilities. Helicopters helped to deliver packs to remote communities not linked by roads.

An Oil Search Foundation manager overseeing the distribution, Jenny Alpa, “Recipients were grateful for the packs provided which contained supplies needed to rebuild their homes and gardens.

The Sir Brian Bell Foundation also provided support to St John Ambulance medical teams and the Health Department to assist in recovery efforts deployed to earthquake-affected areas. St John Ambulance has stood up a joint Health & Ambulance Major Incident Command Team in partnership with the Department of Health to coordinate the teams from Port Moresby. Satellite phones have been purchased to allow communication with the teams in the field.

The deployment team worked tirelessly around the clock to organise logistics and put together necessary operational and medical resources for this operation. Commissioner Cannon says, “it is great to see the community coming together to show their support to the people in affected areas.” St John Ambulance is exceptionally thankful for a tremendous donation by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation to provide safety and logistical equipment to the Health Disaster Response Teams.