A Christmas lunch with a difference
Christmas is the time for giving, and for most a period for spending time with family and loved ones. But what if you find yourself in a situation where there is no family or friends to share this with? This can be a particularly depressing time of the year for such people, but Richmond café Nourish Me has a plan…
If you’re at a loss on Christmas Day and would like to hang out with someone, Nourish Me are providing a free Christmas lunch – good food and good company will hopefully mean good times for all! Luckily Helen won’t be doing this all herself, several of her suppliers are so impressed with this initiative that they’ve donated a lot of the produce required for the day. Staff are also donating their time.
Helen, Harry and Luke of Nourish-Me
Two of the three permaculture principles are Fair Share and People Care, and in our opinion this local Melbourne initiative definitely falls into these two statements! We sat down with Helen at her café to talk about how all of this has come together.
How did the idea for this event come about?
I had the idea for this because I was aware that while Christmas is a time of great joy for many, but it is also a time of great sorrow for those suffering hardship. It increases their feelings of isolation and loneliness, this is obvious by the huge increase on demand of public services through this period. I wanted to provide a moment on what could be a tough day for some – a moment of feeling connected in their community and of hope for the year ahead.
Have you worked with disadvantaged people before?
I volunteered years ago at the Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda where my mother volunteered for 17 years. I used to go in school holidays and curriculum days. I looked forward to meeting people and understanding their stories and sharing/providing them with a meal. I suppose the experience stuck with me and I wanted to replicate in some small way.
What can people who attend this event expect on the day?
Do you think this may become an annual event?
I would love for this to be an annual event- there is no limit to what people can do for each other and the community once they decide to.
The Christmas Lunch will be held at the Nourish-Me Cafe in Richmond from midday on Christmas Day 2016.
If you’re having a challenging time during the festive period, you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14, beyondblue on 1300 224 636, or the Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.
*Disclaimer: Helen is the sister of the author – but he still thinks it’s a pretty awesome idea.
