Covid Initiative, Buy On The Beaches

A great initiative that supports buying local.

Whilst many businesses struggled through COVID there were a few that found new opportunities and Buy on the Beaches was one.

Casey Merwood took advantage of COVID to do good for the community by giving back and helping local businesses who were struggling.

She did this through social media and her Buy on the Beaches campaign, which showcased the many amazing local businesses in the area, encouraging everyone to shop local.

In fact, many Northern Beaches residents were delighted by this initiative, often discovering shops and products that they hadn’t known about in their local area.

In the beginning, Buy on the Beaches seemed to be a quick fix to an urgent issue, but little did she know that a full-scale lockdown was just around the corner. Casey’s business became even more important to the locals than even she could have imagined.

Casey says “Over Christmas we felt completely helpless as so many small businesses, especially those in hospitality, tourism and retail, were forced to close during their biggest trading weeks of the year.

Lots of people were asking when the government was going to step in and help out, but I felt like that was just a band-aid approach. So, I created a Facebook and Instagram account for Buy on The Beaches and started showcasing local businesses.

Overall, I think the main reason that the initiative resonates with so many people, not just business owners, is because everyone is proud of our local area and we all want the economy to thrive.“

In just 48 hours she had over 1,000 followers on her social media account, @buyonthebeaches.

And much to Casey’s delight the Northern Beaches Council got behind her and encouraged everyone to follow. This included local councillors, State and Federal MPs and the local chambers of commerce who all started sharing posts and encouraging everyone to do the same.

Local businesses also started tagging and using the hashtag #buyonthebeaches to let Casey know they existed. Customers were commenting on these posts to show their support.

“And the businesses are so very grateful - we get messages of thanks all day long.” she says.

How is everyone feeling after the Christmas break COVID scare?

In the post-Christmas COVID, it’s Casey’s view that the public is feeling more realistic. Towards the end of 2020, complacency had slipped in but then with the Christmas time cluster there was a curt reminder that the pandemic was still very much alive.

Casey’s goal for 2021 is to drive a culture of shopping local before looking elsewhere.

“We have so many amazing businesses and if we stand by them, it will boost our local economy, meaning we all benefit from it.”

You can get involved by shopping locally whenever possible and encouraging everyone you know to do the same. Casey says “you can also support this initiative by encouraging friends and family to come and visit the beaches (as they'll then spend money there too).”

If you want to show support for this initiative, then follow the @buyonthebeaches Instagram and Facebook pages. Your comments and shares will help drive traffic and awareness amongst as many people as possible.

Using the hashtag #buyonthebeaches to share your pics of local stores and products is also a great way to show support.

Businesses who are keen to feature can go to the following URL to register their interest: https://beachescoworking.com.au/buyonthebeaches/