A new Christmas fund established by Cairns Airport will give a total $25,000 to grassroots charitable organisations in Far North Queensland.

The ‘Cairns Airport Making Christmas a Little Brighter’ campaign is aimed at supporting smaller charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Five groups will receive $5,000 each ahead of the Christmas period. Locals are being asked to nominate deserving organisations, via a simple online form, by Tuesday December 6. 

Cairns Airport Chief Executive Officer Richard Barker said the new initiative would aim to support lesser known charities who may be overlooked during typical festive season fundraising.

“Charity donations are often more frequent during the Christmas period; however, community groups with limited marketing capacity often miss out on this much needed money,” he said.

“Many smaller organisations across our region do vital work that can improve people’s lives immeasurably. A sizeable donation to these groups can make a real difference to their bottom line and enable them to extend their reach to more people in need.”

“We plan to make this initiative an annual event and will aim to increase the overall amount donated each year.”

“Along with providing financial support, we hope this campaign will help to increase awareness around the many charities and projects that are doing important work around our region.”

Each successful organisation will be handed a life-size cheque of $5,000 in the lead up to Christmas, delivered by a Cairns Airport representative and Santa himself.

The competition is open to organisations across Cairns and the Far North, including the Innisfail and Atherton Tableland areas.

The winning recipients will be notified on Monday December 12, followed by a public announcement before Christmas.

Visit cairnsairport.com.au to nominate a local charity for the ‘Cairns Airport Making Christmas a Little Brighter’ campaign. Terms and conditions apply.