Easter book fair to support foodshare

VOLUNTEERS are at work sifting through boxes of books for this year’s Easter book fair to raise money for Bendigo Foodshare.

The fair was previously run by the Y Service club and was taken over by Foodshare volunteers last year.

CEO of Bendigo Foodshare, Michelle Murphy, said she was pleased that Foodshare and its volunteers could help to carry on the tradition of the Easter book fair.

“Book resellers, book lovers and visitors alike travel from far and wide to attend the Book Fair and find their next great read,” Ms Murphy said.

“Books are constantly being refilled and rotated by our volunteers throughout the day, so there is always something new each time you visit over the weekend.”

All proceeds from book sales are donated to the food relief charity with an amount of up to $50,000 raised in the past two years.

Thousands of secondhand books, magazines, records, CDs, and DVDs will be on sale with prices starting at 50 cents for children’s books and $2 for novels.

This year there is a goal for the four-day event to raise $30,000 and Ms Murphy said the funds will go to supporting the activities Foodshare undertake locally.

“The funds raised will help us to continue to provide food to Central Victorians struggling to put food on the table,” Ms Murphy said.

The volunteer team is being led this year by Garth Keech who said his team is responsible for the set up and pack down of the event, as well as sorting books as they come in.

“The team of volunteers have been busy sorting books each Monday and Thursday morning all year round and we couldn’t do it without them,” Mr Keech said.

Foodshare Bendigo is currently seeking volunteers to work two-hour shifts during the Book Fair. Visit bendigofoodshare.org.au/bookfair.