Covid NSW: Wests Leagues Club campaigns for Macarthur locals to get vaccinated

More than 80,000 members of four major western Sydney clubs can claim prizes if they can prove they’ve had their Covid jabs. Find out how to get involved.

The CEO of a major southwest Sydney leagues club is urging locals to get the jab with a new promotion offering the chance to win cash and meat trays to vaccinated members, saying it’s the only way out of lockdown.

Wests Group Macarthur on Monday launched “Arm Yourself, For Macarthur”, encouraging members to upload their vaccination status to win prizes including $500 worth of meat trays and $1000 in cash each week.

The organisation operates four venues Wests League Campbelltown, Gledswood Hills Country Club, Lakeside Golf Club Camden and Wests Tennis Club.

All fully vaccinated members are eligible for the competitions.

Two of the four major venues operated by Wests Group Macarthur are located in Campbelltown, one of the 12 Local Government Areas of concern with a fully vaccinated status between 20 and 29 per cent.

CEO Daniel Perkiss told the Macarthur Chronicle the campaign was an investment in the safety and health of the local community.

“We believe opening up is going to be conditional on vaccine status so the club is actively encouraging our members to get vaccinated,” Mr Perkiss said.

Supplied Editorial Wests Macarthur CEO Daniel Perkiss with his vaccination certificate

“Now is the time to consult a medical practitioner and consider getting that vaccine, we’d hate to be opening venues in the future and have members be excluded because they haven’t pursued it.”

Mr Perkiss, who is fully vaccinated himself, said the club encourages the push because the vaccine is proven to be effective in reducing the spread and severity of Covid-19.

While there’s the motivation for vaccinations on the commercial side, Mr Perkiss said it’s also about keeping his members safe and healthy.

“We believe that if we can run a small promotion, and assist and drive this program, it's in everyone's best interest in terms of fast tracking ourselves back to our normal way of life,” he said.

The promotion kickstarted on Monday, with 1000 members signing up within the first six hours.

Wests Group Macarthur on Monday launched “Arm Yourself, For Macarthur”, encouraging members to upload their vaccination status to win prizes including $500 worth of meat trays and $1000 in cash each week.

Mr Perkiss said the positive response shows the communitywas wanting to get onboard and understand the vaccine is the only way out of lockdown.

“It’s a remarkable uptake in the first few hours and shows the people of Macarthur are keen to do the right thing,” he said.

The campaign is set to run every week “for the foreseeable future”, with $1500 worth of prizes including ten $50 meat trays and $1000 in cash drawn every Friday.

When questioned how the club is funding the promotion, Mr Perkiss said the club was under riding costs and leaving it free for members to enter.

Mr Perkiss said the club was also running internal incentives to encourage the 320 staff to get vaccinated.

“It’s entirely by choice at the moment and we say our job is to educate our staff and we believe it’s in their interest to get the vaccination and it helps keep their family and loved ones safe as well,” he said.

“We’ve got 320 staff stood down at home and we just can’t wait to get all our members back in the venue and do what we do best.”