The guest speaker for the meeting was member and previous District Governor, Allie Lyall. By any estimation Allie has had a distinguished
involvement in Rotary and is well placed to reflect about her experience and make commentary about possible improvements.
Allie has seen a transformation from what was a fairly elitist organisation attracting local business men to a more inclusive approach incorporating contemporary processes into its operation. She used the expression "old' male and stale" to describe the way things were.
She places great importance on fellowship and social activity in laying the foundation for a successful club.
The opportunity to make an impact internationally was a very rewarding experience. Allie was involved in a joint project with BHP to build
cyclone proof homes after the devastation in Fiji. Rotary was involved in helping assembly "Rota Home" for the local people. Allie has also been
involved with the Youth Committee at district level as well as the development of Interplast.
Allie was asked at the time she was a member of the Dromana Club to make application for the position of District Governor.After an exhaustive
application and interview process she was successful with the application. Her work as DG enabled her to visit many clubs both
nationally and internationally.
Allie has seen many changes in Rotary, most of them for the better. When asked about our Club she felt we are in good shape and
most of all there is a very strong sense of welcome. Allie sensed this right from the beginning and really didn't need to spend much time
in deciding that RCoBS would be her club of choice on moving to Bendigo. We thank Allie for her insights and we look forward to drawing
more on her wisdom.
Second Guest speaker Annie from Food Share she spoke for a short time about the roles expected with our club volunteering to assist Food
Share with their deliveries on Tuesday the 17th of December.
Thank you for your assistance in developing this Christmas 2019 food relief strategy.
Thanks to you, our amazing community, we now have the Service Club volunteers, the agency volunteers and the van logistics worked out for the Christmas school holidays.
If you have any feedback or any issues arise, please contact either Annie or myself as soon as possible.
Detail of Strategy
Five existing food relief agencies around town will each open for 2 hours on one specific day for each of the 4 weeks (16th Dec, 6th Jan, 13th Jan, 20th Jan).
Each agency will have space off the road, for the van to park, shade, trestle tables, volunteers/staff to check customer eligibility for food relief according to their normal protocols. Provided they do this, we believe we are working in the scope of our current model ie Agency providing the food relief with additional volunteers, Bendigo Foodshare picking up and delivering food. No additional permits are required from Council.
Service Club's will staff the Christmas food relief service 1 weekday each week. Their volunteers will assist with pick ups from the supermarkets and delivery/distribution of the food at the nominated site with the local agency staff(no special licence required-3 pallet van)
Bendigo Foodshare staff/volunteers will coordinate each day, operate the warehouse, ensure left over food is put away or disposed of appropriately, and clean out the vans and crates.
Bendigo Foodshare will continue to staff the warehouse and the second van on its regional runs.
From 21st Dec to 3rd Jan inclusive, Bendigo Foodshare will close.
As the service in new, initial public information will only advertise the week of 16-20th December. With your help, we will evaluate the attendance at the Mobile Food Pantry that week, and will then publish times for the last three weeks of January 2020 on our website, depending on the uptake of the service.
Proposed Schedule for the weeks commencing 16th Dec, 6th Jan, 13th Jan and 20th Jan
Key: D = Driver R = Rescuer
Each service club to be responsible for rostering the volunteers for their shifts as noted below. Each shift starts at Bendigo Foodshare at shed 2, 43 A Havilah Rd, Long Gully.
Mon
Eaglehawk Community House
Tues
Giving and Living Op Shop Beischer St
Confirmed
Wed
Uniting Care Bendigo Forest St church
Confirmed
Thur
Salvation Army Mundy st Gravel Hill
Fri
Uniting Care Kangaroo Flat
Confirmed
Shift 1
Pick up 7.15-9.15
Bgo Foodshare
1D, 2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1D, 2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1D, 2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1D, 2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1D, 2 R
Shift 2
Pick up 9.15-12.30
Bgo Foodshare
1 D
Bgo Lions Club
2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1 D
Bgo Sandh't Rotary
2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1 D
Bgo Y Service Club
2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1 D
Bgo Freemasons
2 R
Bgo Foodshare
1 D
Bgo South & Bgo Strathdale Rotary
2 R
Shift 3
Distribution 12.30 -3pm
Bgo Lions Club
1D, 2 R
E'hawk Com House
1-2 volunteers to set up and greet clients
Bgo Sandh't Rotary
1D, 2 R
Beischer st OP Shop
1-2 volunteers to set up and greet clients
Bgo Y Service Club
1D, 2 R
Uniting Care Bgo
1-2 volunteers to set up and greet clients
Bgo Freemasons
1D, 2 R
Salv. Army
1-2 volunteers to set up and greet clients
Bgo South and Bgo Strathdale Rotary
1 D, 2 R
Uniting Care KF
1-2 volunteers to set up and greet clients
Service Club Volunteers
Need at least one volunteer each day who is comfortable to drive a 3 pallet van, no special license required
Need 2 Rescuers for shift 2 and a driver and 2 rescuers for shift 3
Please arrive at Bendigo Foodshare at least 10 min before start of your shift
Parking is on the street at the front of the shed at 43A Havilah Rd , Long Gully. Bendigo Foodshare is in shed 2, which is down the back of the block behind the Bendigo Electroplating shed.
Volunteers must wear closed toe shoes and appropriate clothes for the weather and bring water to drink
Safety vests will be provided at the shed
The van will leave the shed at the specified time for each shift
Criteria for agencies
Must be already be involved and registered with us for general food relief
To provide a table for the food to be displayed on (the table should be in the shade in case weather is hot)
To provide a place for the van to park (next to the table) and give out food
One - two volunteers to meet and greet van and public and to check healthcare cards or other organisational criteria and help give out food
Please let Bendigo Foodshare know the following details by Friday 15th Nov:
Specific address of location for food distribution
Any driver directions as to where to come and park the van (a photo would help service club volunteers)
Criteria for what clients have to bring when they come for food. shopping bags, Healthcare card etc.
BFS tasks
Task
Person responsible
Coordination and management of the program
Cathie, Annie, Bridget
Coordination with food donors
Bridget
Supervision of safety standards
Annie
Welcome and orientation and safety vests for Service Club drivers and volunteers
Annie
Market information on when and where to get food relief, bring a bag and your health care card
Steph
Marketing and promotional material development and distribution. Council may help with making the info available on their website as well.
Steph
Coordination with agencies and service clubs
Cathie
More details are in the Appendices below. Please check all the details for your organisation carefully, and contact me on 0407 307 632 or Annie on 0400 681 911 if you need more information or have any queries or concerns re this plan.
Cathie Steele
Chair of the Board, Bendigo Foodshare
0407307632
cathiesteele@me.com
Appendix 1: Agencies Opening For Additional Food Relief
Agencies
Normal Closure Dates
Volunteers/staff
Parking
Criteria used
Comment
Eaglehawk Com'y House
19 Bright st Eaglehawk
21-12-19 to 5-1-20.
yes
yes
Health card
Tracey Clark
0417 895 166
Giving and Living Op Shop, 3/75 Beischer St, East Bendigo
This program is planned to operate on the weeks commencing the 16th Dec, 6th, 13th and 20th Jan. The food will be taken to and distributed at the following sites:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Distribution Point
Eaglehawk Community House
19 Bright St Eaglehawk
[Tracey Clark
0417 895 166]
Giving and Living Op Shop, 3/75 Beischer St East Bendigo
[Sarah Scanlon
5444 2882]
Uniting Care Church Hall, 25 Forest St, Bendigo
[Julie Roberts
0429 067 617]
Salvation Army, 65-71 Mundy st, Bendigo
[Maree Baird
0418192687]
Uniting Church, 10 Camp st, Kangaroo Flat
[Max Blume 54431809]
Service Club
Bendigo Lions Club
Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary Club
Y Service Club of Bendigo
Freemasons Club of Bendigo
Bendigo South Rotary Club
What to Bring and Where to Go
You should wear weather appropriate clothes as you will be outside for much of your shift. Please bring your hat, sunscreen and water bottles. Safety vest will be provided at the shed. Closed toe shoes must be worn at the shed as it is an industrial warehouse with pallets of food, forklifts in action and mechanical equipment such as trolleys in use there.
Parking is on the street at 43A Havilah Rd, Long Gully.
Please turn up at the shed at least 15 min before the start of your shift to pick up your safety vest and any instructions regarding changes to the program
Walk down between the front two sheds to Bendigo Foodshare which is in Shed 2, at the rear of the block. Beware of traffic as pedestrians and vehicles share this driveway .
Do you know your shift?
There are two volunteer shifts for each club on their designated days. The first shift (9.15 to 12.30) requires two volunteer food rescuers only as Bendigo Foodshare will provide the van drivers who know the supermarket rounds. The second shift (12.30 to 3pm) requires one driver and two food rescuers to take and distribute the food at the nominated agency for your club. Your club should have organised which shift and which role you are undertaking. Please contact your coordinator for this project ASAP if this has not happened.
Volunteer Roles
9.15-12.30 Service Club Volunteer Roles:
To undertake this role you should be physically fit and able to repeatedly lift crates of food into and out of a three pallet van. Each crate of food could weigh up to around 15 kgs. You should seek assistance from your fellow volunteers to lift any crates you are not comfortable with.
Arrive at Bendigo Foodshare shed at 9 am and collect your safety vests.
Meet the designated Bendigo Foodshare volunteer driver at the shed
At 9 .15 am accompany the driver in the van to collect the donated food from 6-7 supermarkets and shops around Bendigo. Each donor has rules around food collection and your driver will be familiar with these, so please adhere to any instructions he or she gives you.
Only food fit for human consumption should be collected. We do not collect:
Unwrapped food
Food that has not been kept at the appropriate temperature
Fresh food that has perished
Food that is past its USE BY date
We do accept food that is past its BEST BEFORE date.
At the end of the collection run, the van and volunteers will return to Bendigo Foodshare. This same van, with the food still in it, will then be used for the next shift of volunteers, who will be helping distribute the food.
12.30-3pm Service Club Volunteer Roles:
Pick up keys and already loaded van at Bendigo Foodshare.
The food is donated food from the Supermarkets around Bendigo, and as such is reaching the end of its shelf life. Under the Good Samaritan Act, we are allowed to give away the food and no one be sued, providing you believe the food is fit for human consumption.
No meat can be given away as our donor agreement states that meat must be cooked on the premises of the food relief agency. So if the supermarket collection includes meat, it will be frozen meat, and should be separated out, left in the van and returned to Bendigo Foodshare at the end of the shift.
Your designated Driver will drive the van and two volunteer food rescuers to the designated Agency.
Please park van as close to the distribution table as possible, as directed by the Agency volunteer. The van will be parked on the Agency's private land (except at Eaglehawk Community House where it will be parked in the street and distribution will occur on ECH land), so no parking permits or food distribution permits are required.
Each volunteer will assist with unloading food onto the distribution table over time as required.
While unloading food, each volunteer should sort out and throw away any food he or she considers not to be fit for human consumption. Items requiring refrigeration should be left in the van, but can be offered to customers.
The nominal weight of each food crate should not be over 15kgs. However, if at any time you feel that you would prefer assistance to lift and move a food crate, please ask your fellow volunteers to help. Each crate has a handle at each end and can easily be lifted by two people.
Volunteers assist the clients to pick out and take the food they want.
The Agency at which the food distribution is being made will meet and greet the clients as they arrive and check any eligibility criteria they have. It is not the role of the volunteers to determine who should or should not get the food.
The food crates fold down for stacking once they are empty. Empty crates remain the property of the supermarkets. They must be returned to the van, sorted by colour and stacked, for return to Bendigo Foodshare
The food distribution to customers should commence at 1pm and finish at 2.30 pm
It is anticipated that the volunteers will pack up any remaining food, empty crates and any food waste and return to Bendigo Foodshare in the van by 3pm.
This is the first year we have run this program of additional food relief. It is a trial. We would appreciate your feedback and will modify the program as needed along the way. For example, we will advertise it widely in schools and Agencies that are closed, but if by any chance no-one turns up to get the food, we need to know!
Please don't hesitate to ring Annie (0400 681 911) or I if there are any problems on the day, or if you want to give us any feedback to improve the service over the Christmas school holidays.
Heartfelt thanks to you and your club for assisting us with food rescue and distribution this Christmas holidays.
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