It’s hard to believe it was just last year that the Huon Anglican Church was awarded a thousand-dollar Huon Valley Council community grant.
The grant was to help establish a Friday morning Community Breakfast at the Church’s Connect Centre in Wilmot Road, Huonville.
Now, it’s becoming a local institution.
Each week a close-knit team of local church volunteers gather early in the centre’s industrial kitchen to cook up an array of eggs, bacon, mushrooms, sausages and more, as well as freshly brewed tea and coffee.
Then from 9am – 10am, people come through the doors and take a seat at one of the big round tables, ready to eat.
A seat for everyone
At first the breakfast was intended to assist those struggling most in the community with a warm welcoming space and a hot meal to start the day.
It has attracted people from all walks of life, including a family taking shelter in a horse float and other people sleeping rough for a while.
But the breakfast’s not only for those who are homeless or struggling financially – it’s for anyone who wants to connect with others in their local community.
Organiser Meredith says it’s an important social outlet for many participants.
“When we started it was quite small and now we have full tables and people of all ages – pre-school, primary age, in high school, pensioners, and everything in between,” she says.
“We had a young man recently who turned 21 on our breakfast day, and we had a mother and her six-week-old baby along!”
Making a difference
Volunteer Peter assists the Anglican Church with a number of initiatives, including at the Community Breakfast and the Huon Anglican Opportunity Shop next door.
“Recently there have been a lot of new faces and we’ve been very busy, almost run out of food,” he says.
“Some young people have been coming along and we have our regulars. People from Geeveston, Cygnet, Ranelagh, around the Valley.”
Peter and Meredith say everyone is welcome at the breakfast.
“We get people who say “we didn’t know you were here!”” says Meredith.
“We want to spread the word so even more people know about it and can come along.”
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Warming winter food
The Huon Anglican Church volunteers also get together every few months for a regular cook-up and to pack food for the needy.
This month, on the menu was chicken stir fry, pasta bake, beef rendang and rice and lasagna, to name a few.
Once cooked, the 90 portions went into containers and put in the big freezer at the Connect Centre or taken to the Op Shop, where customers can ask for a meal.
The Op Shop has a fresh food stand as well, supplied by volunteer Jeff, who collects and drops off fresh fruit, vegetables and bread.
You can find the stand near the counter at the front of the shop.
Drop in and say g’day!
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The Huon Anglican Community Breakfast is on every Friday from 9am – 10am at the Connect Centre, 21 Wilmot Road Huonville. The Huon Anglican Op Shop is next door, at 19 Wilmot Road Huonville. For more information, contact Meredith on 0417 011 447.
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: feature image – Volunteers Peter, Carol, Barbara, Emmanuel and Meredith on breakfast duty. (more photo captions below)
: (top to bottom) A delicious, hot community breakfast | Satisfied breakfasters | Volunteer Barbara | The Huon Anglican Church Family Kitchen | Volunteers Leanne and Dave | Served with love | Volunteer Warren | The Connect Centre is located right next door to the Huon Anglican Op Shop on Wilmot Road | The fresh food stand at the Op Shop