“It’s not often the words petrol and philanthropy are used in the same sentence.”
That statement by Lowes Petroleum Sales and Marketing manager Sharon White came in response to the company being named the winner of the Marg Taylor Award for Community Spirit at the recent Australian Pacific Fuel Industry Forum held on the Gold Coast.
“We know that corporate giving is essential to successful business but when you have more than 500 people working and living in regional Australia it has to be a reflex action,” Smith says.
“Our job is easy: we just listen to our people. they’re our barometers so we follow their lead in supporting worthy causes and organisations making a difference to rural lives.
“To date our biennial charity golf day has raised money to support charities as diverse as providing a trailer to teach road safety education to country kids – to Ronald McDonald House.
“We support the Australian Road Safety Foundation’s Rural Road Month in efforts to change driver behaviours especially on country roads and our annual Professional Driver Awards ensures this ethos starts at home – our drivers setting exemplary records of safety.
“We provide free fuel for volunteer marine rescue operations to sponsoring ‘Farms Fests’, rural shows along with junior and senior sporting teams. Our Lowes community has also supported pretty much every major charity you can name.”
For a company that started with one truck in 1977 based out of the town of Goondiwindi, on the Macintyre River on the border of Queensland and New South Wales, its a big win for its country spirit.
Lowes has grown its business across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania over time, supporting local jobs and communities along the way.
Australian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) awards refer to the Australian Fuel and Convenience Awards (AFCAs), a program that formally recognises excellence in the Australian fuel and convenience sector, covering areas like compliance, innovation, and safety.
ACAPMA CEO Rowan Lee said nominations were reviewed by a panel of experts from outside the Australian Fuel Industry, ensuring a transparent and credible assessment.
“With more than 61,000 Australians employed throughout our industry, and estimated industry turnover of $101b in FY23, the ‘end stream’ of the Australian fuel industry plays a vital role in supporting the transport needs of Australian business, industry, and households,” Lee says.
“While complaining about fuel prices has become a bit of a national pastime, the Australian community knows that our industry is always there to provide the fuel they need, when and where they need it.
“And this contribution has been most evident during natural disasters over recent years, with our local businesses being lauded as the ‘last to close and first to open’ at times of greatest community need.”
The Marg Taylor Community Spirit Award recognises fuel businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and contribution to the local communities in which they operate. The Award is named in memory of ACAPMA/APADA employee Margaret Taylor, fondly remembered as “Marg”, who served APADA and ACAPMA members for over 35 years (from 1979 to 2014). Marg passed away in December 2022.
The APFIF event was held at the Star Casino on the Gold Coast in late December.
The full list of Awards presented on the night was:
- Retailer of the Year: 7 Eleven
- Supplier of the Year (Equipment & services): iOR
- Fuel Supplier > 150 million p.a. : iOR
- Supplier of the Year (Shop): WEX
- Fuel Distributor of the Year < 150 million: ReFuel
- Marg Taylor Award for Community Spirit: Lowes Petroleum