CommBank's Baggy Green Tour, a national tour of Shane Warne's iconic cap to raise money for local communities hit hardest by bushfires and drought, arrived in the Sutherland Shire this week.
From Bateman's Bay, NSW, to Mount Barker, South Australia and Gippsland, Victoria, the cap will crisscross the country over the next six weeks visiting more than 30 locations including schools, cricket clubs and community centres, where cricket fans can see and take their picture with the cap for a small donation.
When the tour concludes at the end of April, CBA will present the cap to the Bradman Museum in Bowral where it will be displayed as a permanent exhibit on loan from the bank.
Every dollar donated during the tour will go towards the Commonwealth Bank Bushfire Appeal to further support Australian Red Cross' disaster relief program and recovery efforts.
The cap dropped in at CommBank's Westfield Miranda Branch last Tuesday.
"After securing Shane's cherished baggy green, raising more than $1 million for bushfire relief, we wanted to ensure his iconic cap could raise even more funds at the same time as allowing cricket fans across the country to enjoy it, before it finds a permanent home at the Bradman Museum," Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn said.
"Over coming months, we will be taking the cap to over 30 locations where the goal is not only to raise money but also to lift spirits and support local communities hit hardest by the recent and catastrophic fires."
CBA and its customers have committed close to $20 million to disaster relief for drought and bushfire affected communities. This includes the Bushfire Recovery Grants program, expected to fund projects worth up to $10 million.
The first six recipients of the grants program have been awarded, totalling more than $200,000, including Qaama Public School, to restore their community teaching garden, and the Australian Wildlife Foundation, to rebuild sanctuary facilities.
Additional grant recipients will be unveiled during the tour. Applications for up to $50,000 per grant remain open until March 31.