Bloomfield Hospital Auxiliary are now selling tickets for their giant annual raffle and they truly have some massive prizes up for grabs!

This year’s lucky first prize winner will be on their way to the NRL Grand Final on October 1, with two Premier Grandstand Tickets plus a night's accommodation in Sydney.

The runner-up will have to make do with a day at Royal Randwick with VIP Tickets to “the world’s richest race on turf” The Everest on October 14. The prize also includes a night's accommodation.

You’ll see tickets being sold at various businesses around the Central West and they will be available for purchase up until the draw on Wednesday, September 13.

The Bloomfield Hospital Auxiliary has been supporting patients and staff of the hospital for more than 40 years, holding fundraisers like the giant raffle to be able to provide whatever they need at the time.

But the Auxiliary has struggled for members in recent years and they would like more people to be aware of what they do and, more importantly, get involved.

“People don’t know who we are. We’re a body created to raise funds for the patients at Bloomfield Hospital wards and in the community,” Bloomfield Hospital Auxiliary President Tania O’Donohue said.

“We were established,” continued Sister Mary Trainor, a chaplain at the hospital for more than two decades, and ‘a guiding light’ within the Auxiliary, “to provide for the rehabilitation, comfort, wellbeing and reintegration into society for the people in the hospital, and for those who were mentally ill in the community.”

Sr Mary the Bloomfield Hospital Auxiliary plays a vital role in the community.

“If there was no Auxiliary, the mentally ill people would just not have their needs met,” she said. 

Over the years, the auxiliary has paid for everything from a fish pond, sensory garden, and pool tables, to boxing bags, bicycles, PlayStations and chocolate eggs every Easter.

“We look at any reasonable request,” Sr Mary said.

But sadly, numbers are dwindling and they really need more people to get involved.

“There are only five active members, so we’re looking for a few more. You can be as committed as you like – do as little or as much as you’d like,” Tania said.

“Basically we’d just like people to come to a monthly meeting, if that’s possible,” Sr Mary added.

Annual membership is just five dollars. To become a member or for further information contact Sister Mary Trainor on mary.trainor@mercy.org.au

As well as the giant annual raffle the Auxiliary is also hosting two upcoming fundraisers.

On Saturday, July 8, in conjunction with Odeon 5 Cinema, they will be hosting a screening of the new animated film, Cats in the Museum. It’s school holiday family fun for a good cause and just $12.50 a ticket. 

Then on Friday, August 11 they will host a trivia night at the Waratahs Sports Club at 7.30pm, with prizes awarded on the night.

For more information or to book for either activity contact Tania on 0434 429 183.