We recently welcomed the Charlton VET students to our Bendigo Foodshare community.
Their day began bright and early at our Golden Gums Farm where the sun was shining and the birds were singing. The students are studying community services, and this visit provided them first hand experience in running a community program.
We discussed our Grow Cook Share Food Hub, including our current community programs, such as, Cafe for a Day, Cooking for Change and school volunteering.. They were eager to learn about how we support our diverse community and bring programs to life in a way that is inclusive and sustainable.
The students then made their way to the Bendigo Foodshare shed to see first-hand how Bendigo Foodshare operates. They learnt about the intricacies of the logistical operations and supermarket collections. They had the opportunity to see the fruit and veggie sorting crew in action and the resulting boxes that go out to support people currently experiencing hardship.
The students were inquisitive about Bendigo Foodshare’s sustainability practices. This guided a discussion about our waste management systems; linking the compost that is produced at Golden Gums Farm coming from the shed’s green waste, and the magic of turning wasteinto a high value compost to grow fresh produce that is used in both community projects and food relief.
