Cookbook launched, volunteers thanked

Jenny Bayliss, Aileen Thomas and Leanne Duff with the Circle of Friends cookbook. 281202_03 Photos: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Shelby Brooks

Kooweerup Regional Health Service volunteers have been celebrated in an afternoon tea for National Volunteers Week.

Volunteer coordinator Jenny Bayliss said the volunteers deserved to be thanked for the time they spend supporting the aged-care facilities, participating in activities for the residents, spending one on one time with residents as well as volunteering their time in the op shop, the L2P driving program and the community garden.

“From our point of view it was a success,“ Ms Bayliss said of the event held on Friday 20 May.

“What I’ve come to learn is that volunteers are very busy people, involved in so many different things so we had a nice number of people at the event.

“It was a nice vibe. It’s the first time in a while they were able to get together and have a chat and it was a nice way to say thank you.“

The Kooweerup Regional Health Circle of Friends Cookbook was also officially launched at the afternoon tea.

“Our cookbook began as a simple idea to promote healthy eating among our community members including staff, residents and family members of Kooweerup Regional health Service,“ Ms Bayliss explained.

“From this simple idea the project grew and as Covid-19 hit the importance of supporting our local small businesses across Cardinia Shire became a clear focus. Sharing food and getting together with family and friends was something that was perhaps taken for granted prior to the impact of restrictions to travel and gatherings. This book tells the stories of what food and favourite recipes mean to us and the memories that the sharing of these recipes hold.

“By highlighting our small businesses and food producers in the Cardinia shire, and presenting the book in seasons readers are encouraged to shop local and purchase fresh produce at its best. The pictures of the local landscape are absolutely stunning and we hope that everyone who purchases a copy of the book will be drawn to the local businesses and the fresh local produce available.“

The book has 170 glossy pages featuring seasonal recipes which are family friendly and mostly healthy with a few sweet treats thrown in.

The many contributors are local residents and family members of Cardinia Shire including a few residents from Killara Hostel.

It also describes how family and friends connect through food, captured via the many stories from the recipe authors.

“We were lucky to be able to have a couple of the residents and their family members come over to the afternoon tea and be presented with a copy of the cookbook purchased by the Ladies Auxiliary on their behalf to thank them for their contribution to the book with a story and a recipe,“ Ms Bayliss said.

The cookbooks can be purchased at reception at the hospital or currently at Chandelier Café, with a number of other outlets to be announced.

Anyone interested in volunteering or purchasing a cookbook can contact Jenny Bayliss on 59979679 for more information.