To create a more sustainable model, local community groups have come together to develop a long-term plan to increase the Heathcote community’s access to fresh, nutritious food.

While Heathcote Foodshare may have closed its doors, residents can still access emergency food relief, vouchers or cooked meals, as they always have, from local groups including St Vincent De Paul and the Uniting Church.

Families with young children are encouraged to reach out to their local school, with Heathcote Primary School and Holy Rosary Primary School helping address the needs of pupils and their immediate family.

Heathcote Community House is home to a community garden,

Thank kind-hearted folks at Kirkland Lake Gold’s Fosterville Gold Mine have made our volunteers at the shed very happy this winter with a $4,950 community grant to update date our safety equipment, including new safety boots, bollards and tyne spreaders for the forklift.

The mine has also come on board as the major sponsor of this quarterly newsletter, allowing us to continue to bring you the latest Bendigo Foodshare news and events each season.

Click here to learn more about Fosterville Gold Mine’s community other initiatives.

The current round of Fosterville Gold Mine community grants closes on September 23.

Bendigo Foodshare’s annual fundraising appeal Bendigo Bank Million Meals in May officially came to a close in May but thanks to overwhelming support from our community, donations continued to flow in throughout June and early July bringing the official fundraising tally to more than $76,500.

The ambitious campaign included the launch of the inaugural Soupfest, which saw cafés, restaurants, schools and community groups host soup-themed fundraisers, while approximately 150 businesses across greater Bendigo and Castlemaine collected donations towards the appeal.

Bendigo Foodshare’s Chair Cathie Steele said the appeal had resonated strongly with local people,