THE situation residents of Murrurundi have been stuck in for months now is dire, but among all the negativity, generosity has bloomed.
Aberdeen couple Sue and Allan Bullock are key to the latest tale of good will, with the pensioners giving up time, effort and money to help make lives easier for those up the highway.
They began buying water to supply to Justine Cooper's Doing it for Our Farmers Murrurundi pop-up-pantry, and have recently extended that to purchasing other goods as well.
This is an extraordinary commitment to make for the couple, given Sue, aged 65, and Allan, 69, rely on government benefits.
"We use our pension money, what we can afford out of it," she said.
"It's not much but at least we're helping.
"And, it's rewarding.
"You feel as if you're genuinely helping."
Their deliveries, which they make every second Tuesday, are about to get a lot bigger after McDonald's Muswellbrook discovered what they were doing - and offered to lend a hand.
Residents are being invited to also buy items for the Murrurundi community.
And, they can drop them off at McDonald's Muswellbrook and Singleton by December 1 for the Bullocks to pick up and deliver.
They're calling on more people to donate ahead of next Tuesday, and will themselves buy objects and food to add to the collection.
Useful goods can vary greatly, with Mrs Bullock even revealing they try to take bags of pet food up when they can, because she knows the animals are being affected, too.
