This week, with their hands in soapy water, Norco employees Mal, Edward and Bob are making their mark on the local music industry.

Out the front of Music Bizarre on Magellan Street, the cheerful trio of former ice cream makers are now washing hundreds of vinyl records for Music Bizarre owner Deb Ray.

It’s a task they never could have imagined themselves doing before the February flood hit Lismore.

“We are employed by Norco to go out into community and help people,” Edward said.

“Norco got a government grant to keep us employed and now, we go out and help people who have registered in need of help with Resilient Lismore.”

“Deb registered with Resilient Lismore and now we are helping wash all of her vinyl records that were in the flood.”

Bob said every morning, they rock up to Resilient Lismore and are given jobs to do.

“We go to different people’s houses and help them, do whatever they want - maybe mowing lawns.

“When we have free time, it’s a bit quiet, we come down here and help Deb out,” Bob said.

And that means washing millions of vinyl records.

“We only have about five million to go,” Bob laughed.

Ice cream makers

Edward normally works in the Norco warehouse packing boxes.

Bob normally works making icecream, in the mix room, before it’s packed away by the packers.

Both jobs are a bit different to washing records.

“We are grateful Norco has still employed us,” Edward said.

“It's really great to be able to help people in the community.

“People are really appreciative of what we do – and are so happy when we leave.”

Unfortunately, the trio only have a couple of weeks to go until, the grant money runs out - then they have to find other employment.

“Norco won’t be up and running for a while, so we will have to find something else to do,” Edward said.

“I am a bit nervous about going out into the workforce again at my age, but there are a lot of jobs around.

“We’ll see what happens.”