Foodbank celebrates 10 years in WA

FOODBANK of Western Australia has celebrated 10 years of operation with a function at Government House. State Governor and Foodbank patron, Lieutenant General John Sanderson, presented certificates recognising 10 key partnerships instrumental in the growth and development of the Foodbank concept. Lotterywest, Rio Tinto, Department of Health WA, West Australian Newspapers, Burswood International Resort Casino, Coles Supermarkets, National Foods, Rocky Bay Employment Services, Wesfarmers Ltd and Ernst & Young were those to receive the acknowledgement certificates. Foodbank currently supplies food to 500 community agencies assisting people dealing with a wide range of issues from unemployment to illness and drug rehabilitation. The organisation helps families in refuges, the homeless and foster carers, including a growing number of grandparents looking after grandchildren. Foodbank chairman Denis Ryan said that, in the decade since Foodbank had opened its doors, the organisation had evolved from simply being a food collection, storage and distribution centre for community and welfare agencies. “Foodbank now provides nutrition education through training Food Cents volunteers in partnership with the WA Health Department and School Breakfast Clubs, and a Bush Breakfast program in partnership with schools. “We have established regional Foodbanks in Albany, Bunbury, Mandurah and Geraldton to service surrounding communities and to network fresh and packaged food to thousands of people around Western Australia,” Mr Ryan said. Foodbank has also been proactive in sourcing highly nutritional raw product, such as 50 tonnes of oats from Agracorp in 2004, and through partnerships processing and packaging it specifically for Foodbank. Mr Ryan said the main challenge facing Foodbank in the next 10 years was changes in the food industry. “It is Foodbank’s objective for the next decade to consolidate its position as the premier welfare food distribution organisation in Western Australia,” he said. Make-A-Wish Day PERTH Glory will be a part of Make-A-Wish Day, Friday April 29, presenting 11-year-old Deja-Renai Welti with her very special wish - a brand new digital camera and the latest laptop computer - at team training, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. According to the foundation, Deja-Renai, who has been fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, will be the first child in Western Australia to have their wish granted on this day. People can help in making wishes like Deja-Renai’s come true by purchasing Wish Day merchandise or selling it at their workplace. All funds raised will contribute to granting the wishes of other Australian children with life-threatening illnesses. Loud Shirt Day LOUD Shirt Day is an annual fundraising event and awareness campaign for Telethon Speech & Hearing in WA, and will be held on Friday May 13. Organised by the Cora Barclay Centre, the event aims to raise money through gold coin donations by everyone who wears their loudest and brightest shirt on Loud Shirt Day. Money raised is used to help deaf and hearing impaired children learn to listen and speak. According to organisers, successful Loud Shirt Day activities can include a competition for the loudest shirt and fining of those who aren’t wearing loud shirts. Fairbridge reopens historic cottage FAIRBRIDGE Western Australia has reopened its Exeter Cottage after the building was devastated by fire just more than a year ago. The cottage was originally built in 1921 and the Fairbridge construction crew, which included 10 young indigenous trainees, has been renovating the cottage for the past nine months.