News & Special Events

Auction Brings Great Success

Saturday the 17th July 2010 was an evening of laughter and entertainment as hundreds gathered together to attend the annual Mai-Wel Celebrity Comedy Debate held at Maitland Town Hall.

Following an exceptional debate asking if baby boomers are a national nuisance or a national treasure?’ Tony Cant Real Estate’s baby boomer Auctioneer, Peter Hogan, lead the successful auction which raised over $6000 for The Mai-Wel Group. 

Prizes auctioned on the night included dinner for 10 at The Old George & Dragon, A private McWilliams Winery Tour, A Hunter Escape Package and a Comedy Debate Caricature by Judy Nadin. However, the most prized possession auctioned was the “I Give a HOOT about The Mai-Wel Group” Perpetual Trophy.

Proudly donated by Tony Cant Real Estate Maitland, the “I give a HOOT about The Mai-Wel Group Perpetual Trophy sold for $1600.

Pleased purchaser of the trophy, Denise Betteridge from Signature Clothing at Rutherford, was excited to purchase the trophy and plans on displaying it at her business for all to see. In addition to the trophy Ms Betteridge also received a half page ad in the Maitland Mercury and the opportunity to feature on The Mai-Wel website.

 Auctioneer Peter Hogan from Tony Cant Real Estate, successful bidder
Denise Betteridge from Signature Clothing and Mai-Wel CEO, Pennie Kearney.

Tony Cant Real Estate is one of many businesses in our community that happily supports The Mai-Wel Group. Given the success in its inaugural year it is believed that the Perpetual Trophy will be auctioned again next year for an even greater price.

Until then proud purchasers Signature Clothing will enjoy their current win and return it next year to the Celebrity Comedy Debate so another person can have a chance to claim the “I give a HOOT about The Mai-Wel Group Perpetual Trophy”.

The Mai-Wel Group wishes to acknowledge and thank the follwing businesses who supported the auction;

Auctioneer and 'I give a HOOT about The Mai-Wel Group' Perpetual Trophey donated by;

Degustation Dinner for 10 donated by	McWilliams Private Winery Tour and Lunch for 4 donated by	Hunter Escape Package donated by	Judy Nadin Caricature donated by

Federal Funding expands Mai-Wel’s E-Cycling Project

Federal Member for the Hunter, Mr Joel Fitzgibbon today announced that Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services would receive more than $900,000 in funding to accommodate the need to expand the project.

This green project was established to divert the volume of electronic waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.

The Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Jobs Fund Grant, is designed to maximise job and training opportunities in local communities.  The Jobs Fund forms part of the Australian Government’s Jobs and Training Compact and has been established to support families and communities most affected by the Global Economic Recession.

Round two of the Jobs Fund has been realigned with the recommendations from the Keep Australia Working Report, released on 16 October 2009. The Local Jobs stream has a stronger focus on green jobs and training outcomes. 

Mr Joel Fitzgibbon, Federal Member for the Hunter said today, “This is great news for local jobs, great news for people with a disability and great news for the environment.  I congratulate Mai-Wel on their innovation and the quality of their submission for Jobs Fund support.”

Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services currently employs eleven people, nine of whom are people with a disability, with the team recycling over 130,000kgs of electronic waste so far in the first nine months of operation. 

The Jobs Fund Grant will assist the expansion of Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services to create at least 17 new jobs, generate additional work experience opportunities and will allow the processing of more than 500 tonnes of e-waste in the next 12 months with further growth expected in the medium term.

Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services provides an easy solution for households and businesses in the Hunter to recycle their electronic goods, reducing the pressure on landfill and the associated dangers of e-waste in landfill which includes heavy metal leachate.  It will also reduce the need to acquire new minerals to manufacture components and thereby will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Energy efficiency will be attained through refurbishment of donated/collected electronic/electrical equipment removing the need to manufacture new goods.  These refurbished goods are proposed to be offered for sale to recipients of Centrelink benefits at highly reduced cost.

“Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services was in real need of support to enable us to move to the next phase of growth which will enable an increase of e-waste recycling, extra employment opportunities, up-skilling and training for the team of staff,” said CEO of The Mai-Wel Group Mrs Pennie Kearney.  

“I am passionate about Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services because it addresses a major local environmental challenge, while meeting the goal of Mai-Wel to provide employment opportunities in the local area” she said. 

Mai-Wel E-Cycling Services is located in the Rutherford area and will employ and train at least 17 more people including trainees, people with a disability, people affected by mental illness and other disadvantaged groups.

The service was one of only 32 projects announced for the share of $21.5m in funding from round two of the Jobs Fund Grant.

Recycling Statistics

• In 2006, there were approximately 1.6 million computers disposed of in landfill and another 7.1 million in storage.  The ABS states Australians buy more than 2.4 million new computers each year
• Mai-Wel’s E-Cycling Project provides an easy recycling pathway for these computers
• An estimated 92.5 million electronic items are held in Australian homes 
• With Mai-Wel’s E-Cycling Project, these items can be demanufactured and sent to component recyclers for manufacture into new products.
• Computers contain 23% plastic, 32% ferrous metal, 18% non-ferrous metals, 12% electronic boards and 15% glass, some of these contents posing a threat to the environment if dumped in landfill.
• These are quality resources when properly recycled through E-Cycling.

Events

To ensure you don’t miss out on any of Mai-Wel’s events contact Bronwyn at Mai-Wel Head Office on (02) 4932 8599 or bronwyn.bell@maiwel.com.au who will to add your details to the mailing list so you can receive more information about upcoming events at Mai-Wel.