Blankets, warm meals, an outdoor pantry, and a laundry service are some of the ways Newcastle’s Christ Church Cathedral is helping make a difference in the lives of those in need.
As temperatures plummet outside, parishioners, Newcastle Grammar School (NGS) students and members of Wanderers Junior Rugby Club are maintaining warmth inside the walls of the iconic building through connection.
The blankets are made using material donations collected at the entrance to the Church Street address.
Members of the Belmont-based group Warm Blankets for Everyone recycle the preloved fabrics into blankets for those who are feeling the cold.
There’s also a collection of socks, scarves and beanies at the Cathedral’s entrance for those who might be going without.
For those in need of food, an outdoor, unplugged fridge on site is replenished by church members, students, families and passersby, and is accessible any day or time.
Connection and a warm meal are also essential ingredients within the Christ Church Cathedral Outreach Program.
Every second Sunday, volunteers deliver a three-course luncheon to those in need.
Prepared by parishioners, the meals are dished up by NGS senior students who engage in conversation with guests, before assisting in the clean-up.
The regular gathering attracts up to 80 guests each fortnight.
It began when the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle welcomed a collaboration with Samaritans more than 40 years ago.
“I remember I used to help at community lunch with my mum when I was a little boy,” Year 12 student Jack says.
“I’ve known about it for a long time, but I’ve been volunteering properly for about two years now.
“We come because it feels good to serve other people.
“You come and you serve, or wash up, or do the soup or whatever, and you leave feeling good.”
The teenagers volunteer on a rotating roster, with many attending more than their allocated shifts.
“I started coming last year,” Year 12 student Amy says.
“My sister used to regularly participate as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award, and I joined in just because I like to volunteer.
“I like helping the community. My favourite is serving tea and coffee, that’s when everyone likes to talk.”
Volunteering, she says, connects you to the community.
“You interact with a broader range of people than what you would normally speak to.
“It’s learning about other people’s experiences, chatting to them about their lives.”
The guests span all age groups and come from a range of backgrounds.
“We have young kids that smile at you nervously, all the way through to those who need help getting up the stairs.” Year 12 student Shelpi adds.
For some, there’s no doubt the program is a way to combat loneliness.
“You sit down, there’s heaps of cutlery, there’s plenty of food coming out and everyone talks,” Jack explains.
“We talk to them, they talk to each other, some of them can’t read so they ask you to read something for them.
“It’s about connection.”
Tables of eight. Up to ten tables. Two hours. Three courses. The numbers speak for themselves, says parishioner and outreach program coordinator Suzanne Evans.
She believes both the student volunteers and guests gain a powerful sense of community from the activity.
“The students love it, they are buzzing with energy and excitement in the kitchen, it’s very admirable that they have given up their Sunday to volunteer for those with less,” she says.
“It’s a valuable way for them to interact with those of disadvantage.”
There’s no obligation and no recognition.
“There’s no reward for the kids for doing this,” Deputy Head of the Newcastle Grammar School, Dr Alan Parsons, says.
“There’s no presentation, assemblies or certificates, or acknowledgement. They’re only doing this because that’s where they want to be, it’s not because they’re getting anything out of it except for a sense of doing the right thing.”
And, when the students are on school holidays, members of Wanderer’s Junior Rugby Club step in to take on the volunteer roles so the luncheons can continue.
Orange Sky – a free laundry and shower service for those experiencing homelessness – is scheduled to coincide with the community lunches, parking its vehicles on the cathedral grounds each fortnight.
Visit www.newcastlecathedral.org.au for more information.
