Local pubs help the Flintstones raise more than $100,000 for kids in rural NSW

Geoff Haren, Margaret Haren, Duke Hotel Licensee Tony Jackson, David Jordan, and Maree Jordan,

Four Newcastle locals and handful of pubs prove the spirit of giving extends all the way from the Stone Age to present day

They’ve been at the pub week in, week out, all year, for the past seven years dressed as the Flintstones and never once have been asked to leave, not even when Fred (AKA Geoff Haran) shouts out Yabba Dabba Do at the top of his booming voice.

In fact, the Flintstones are four of the most welcomed people you will find at both the Duke of Wellington and Northumberland hotels.

Why? Because for the past seven years, Geoff Haran, Margaret Haren (Wilma Flintstone), David Jordan (Barney Rubble), and Maree Jordan (Betty Rubble), have been working hard at their locals raising money for the NSW Variety Bash, providing funding and support to kids doing it tough across rural NSW.

This year alone they raised $35,000, and over the past seven years their fundraising has exceeded $100,000.

While Maree is the first to say it’s not recognition that they are looking for, they certainly received it this year when they were awarded the illustrious Spirit of the Bash accolade for their contribution throughout the event.

“It was such a surprise when they announced it,” Maree said.

“I mean, you always hope, and we worked really hard. We always try to come up with ways to engage with the kids and make them smile, either by handing out lollies, or through giving books at each school presentation. This year Margaret came up with the over-sized bowling game and they seemed to really enjoy that too.”

The history of Team Flintstones began in 2012 when Margaret came home with what Geoff calls the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ - to purchase a fire engine that a friend had previously used on the NSW Variety Bash.

“We bought a fire engine that neither of us at the time had a licence to drive, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, so for us the decision was as simple as. So we bought it,” Margaret said.

The next challenge was to put a team together and that’s where their local hotel the Duke of Wellington Hotel at Lambton came in.

“One day I saw Margaret at the Duke selling raffle tickets for Variety and we got to talking,” David said.