Kate became involved with Bendigo Foodshare 18 months ago after she’d visited their stall at the Bendigo Sustainability Expo. She was looking for a volunteering opportunity, and after talking to the volunteers, decided it would be a good chance for her to get involved in the community.
Kate works the Tuesday morning shift with a team of between 7 and 12 other volunteers. She helps load pallets, and stack items which have been sorted the previous afternoon. This involves taking items off shelves and loading them onto the pallets, as well as making up ‘lucky dips’ of food items or personal items.
When asked what keeps her coming back to Bendigo Foodshare, Kate said ‘I love the team I work with. We have a great camaraderie amongst the group, and we have fun. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I am contributing to the community and helping people who are experiencing food insecurity.’
If other people are contemplating volunteering in their community, Kate recommends looking for an opportunity that suits the time they have available. She believes it’s a great way to make friends as an adult, at the same time as doing something that is important in the community.
Kate’s 50-year career as a registered nurse and midwife has influenced her role at Bendigo Foodshare as they are both about caring for people at their most vulnerable time of life. In the last 10 years of Kate’s career, she worked in rural and remote communities, the last of which was 6 months in Kununurra.
When Kate takes a break from volunteering, she and her husband like to travel. They often visit Canada where her husband is from, and they like to keep fit and active while they’re away by going hiking. Their most notable treks have been to Machu Picchu in Peru, Hadrian’s Wall in the UK and parts of the Caminho Trail in Portugal and Spain. Their next challenge will be the Three Capes Walk in Tasmania in April.
Thank you, Kate, for giving your time to Bendigo Foodshare and contributing to our vision that every person in Central Victoria has access to healthy and safe food.