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Australian footwear manufacturer Bata put its best foot forward with a hefty donation of shoes for healthcare workers fighting COVID-19.

Bata’s Mornington-based headquarters and production plant made the footwear available free of charge for healthcare and aged care workers.

Bata managing director Jon Moore said it is important to show appreciation for those on the medical front line.

“Our footwear is technically designed for healthcare workers and we made available 7,000 pairs of shoes for our healthcare heroes," he said. "It’s the least we can do.”

The main benefactors were healthcare workers from the peninsula’s hospitals and aged care facilities asc well as workers in metro, regional hospitals and aged care facilities throughout Victoria.

The Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt said he is delighted to see Bata taking meaningful action to help frontline health communities.

“We are most grateful and recognise that Bata as a first-rate corporate citizen is so committed upholding its values by making this most generous and much needed donation.” he said.

The donation is valued at $500,000 and figures show that there are more than 75,000 registered nurses in Victoria

Internationally, Bata has produced facemasks, face shields and protective equipment (PPE) for countries as diverse as India, Bangladesh, Columbia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Chile and Peru as well as donated food, funds and hygienic products through the Bata Children’s Program and the Bata Shoe Foundation.

The story of Bata began in 1894, when it was founded by three siblings in the Czechoslovakian town of Zlín.

In Australia, Bata has been producing shoes since 1961.

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