Lush outcome for Mandurah Dolphin Rescue group

Everyone's favourite cosmetics and soap company is raising funds for a local rescue group.

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but the satisfaction of walking into a Lush store and smelling the heavenly aromas is comparable to spotting one of those cute dolphins in the Mandurah estuary, admittedly the latter doesn't always smell as great.  

Lush Garden City has put Mandurah Dolphin Rescue Project at the front of their new fundraising campaign.   

Mandurah Dolphin Rescue, which started over 20 years ago works closely with the dolphin rescue project which follows dolphin research conducted by Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit in Mandurah and adjacent coastal waters.

As Store Manager Leah Toyne explains, Lush stores across the country sell their 'Charity Pot' products with proceeds poured back into the community. 

"Charity Pot parties allow your stores and teams the opportunity to connect with a local charity and raise funds to support their work," she said. 

"The funds are raised through the sales of our Charity Pot Hand and Body lotion during the event. All sales, minus GST of the product, will be donated directly to the charity and Lush will receive no proceeds at all." 

This Saturday all Charity Pots purchased in-store will have their profits donated to the local group.

This isn't the first time Lush has partnered with the local group, with previous batches of the charity pots featuring images of Mandurah Dolphins. 

"It's always been an important part of Lush to give back to smaller, grass-roots organisations as they struggle to find funding elsewhere," Ms Toyne said. 

"All proceeds from the sale of Charity Pot go directly to them [the nominated group] and we ask for nothing back so that those who work tirelessly to make the world a better place and play a useful part in the movement to create change."

Head of the Mandurah Volunteer Dolphin Rescue Group Sally Kirby said she was delighted Lush had chosen to partner with them again. 

Mrs Kirby said the raised funds will go directly back into boosting the volunteer run program.

"Over a quarter of the resident dolphin population has been stranded at least once requiring assistance," she said.

"With such vast amounts of shallow water in the Peel-Harvey estuary system there has been over 35 rescues involving approximately 60 dolphins to date.

"The money raised will go towards equipment and resources for rescues."

Staff at the Garden City store are expecting at least 1000 people in-store for the event this Saturday, with hopes of raising funds anywhere between $4,000 and $5,000. 

Ms Toyne said purchasing the products was a fun, and delicious, way to give back to the community. 

 "People can come along on the 23rd of June between 10-4 to purchase a charity pot and the money raised on the day will directly go to Mandurah Dolphin Rescue," she said. 

"If people aren't able to make it on the day they can come into any Lush store any day of the week to buy a Charity Pot and support many other meaningful grass roots organisations."

Find the Facebook event here.