Welcome Wednesdays more than meal for many

A Scarsdale initiative offering home-cooked meals is not only helping more people manage cost-of-living concerns but providing them with a connection to the town itself.

Since it began in September last year, the monthly Welcome Wednesdays at Scarsdale Town Hall has been serving up warm meals and food to take home for an average of at least 50 people.

Organiser Rhonda Edwards said many were facing financial issues more than ever.

“Finances are very tight and a lot of people are really feeling it,” she said. “When the petrol went up, they absolutely felt it.

“If they don’t come here, it’s too much petrol to go to Ballarat or somewhere else.”

However, the event has established itself as a community gathering.

“The community feel has really grown,” said volunteer Karen Spurr.

“We find that from the noise coming from out in the hall, of people talking and catching up.”

She said people sit there and use the event as a social opportunity.

“After the food’s gone, they’ll sort of sit there and just talk,” she said.

Fellow volunteer Jack Jaques said patrons would greet him throughout town.

“And it’s that one bit of connection just once a month,” he said. “But it goes out beyond once a month.”

Edwards said patrons got involved with helping the volunteers.

“At the end of the meal, a lot of them are bringing the dishes out to the kitchen,” she said.

“I mean, it’s more than just sitting there and having a meal. It’s really wanting them to be involved.”

Edwards said volunteers picked up patrons’ words of praise throughout town.

“You get comments just around town and think, well, we must be doing something right.”

She also wanted to thank Liz Howard and other volunteers for their assistance.