Ramada Resort Port Douglas has, for the second year, presented the local Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre with a festive donation raised through bottle and can recycling, which will be used to purchase gifts for locals who are lonely or isolated.

Last year, the resort set out recycling bins for plastic bottles, glass bottles and aluminium cans and took those to Port Douglas Recycling, earning $677 through Containers for Change, which it donated to the centre. This year, the resort team raised $750.

Resort Manager Nigel Warwick said it has been a particularly difficult year for many people and the money would be of benefit to the community.

“Working in tourism and accommodation gives our team appreciation of the impact of COVID-19 and it is easy to imagine how more people are feeling isolated and lonely this year

“Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre is a worthwhile charity and we know that these funds will help them address this over the Christmas and New Year period,” he said.

A registered charity, the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre exists to inform the local community and provide connections through workshops, a range of social groups and emergency relief, when required. It is again running a festive appeal, which will utilise the funds to provide food and gift hampers to those who are likely to spend this time alone, including the elderly and isolated.

“Festive times like this are where people typically feel the loneliest and, after a disruptive year like this one, we are seeing more need. We are thankful that this donation has helped us spread cheer further, and to people who would usually not get to experience it,” said Megan Blacklow, Community Support Worker at the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre.

Port Douglas Recycling transports the recyclable waste it receives to Cairns, where plastic is shredded for reuse and aluminium is squashed into bricks and sold on the metal market as clean aluminium.