Volunteers the lifeblood of Meals on Wheels Rockhampton

The Berserker Street facility in Rockhampton comes alive every weekday at 6am as volunteers create meals for the 360 clients across Gracemere to Parkhurst. Check out what they do and how you can get involved.

Each weekday at 6am, the Meals on Wheels kitchen in Rockhampton comes alive as volunteers and kitchen staff start the cooking and preparation for the day, making smoothies, soups, main meals and desserts.

Come 11am, cars line up in the drive-through at the front of the building and volunteers load up the boots with eskies full of the homemade meals all packaged up and a list is checked of what is going where.

In each car is a driver and assistant (28 volunteers in total) who then go on 14 runs from Gracemere to Parkhurst, delivering meals to 360 clients.

It’s a well-oiled machine and happens every day, all with the gracious and unwavering support of dedicated volunteers.

“It is very busy and come 11 o’clock it goes really quiet for two hours while they are out delivering, then it’s doing reports for the next day and getting ready again,” Rockhampton Meals and Wheels business and operations manager Margo Haks said.

Rockhampton Meals on Wheels volunteers Marlyn Kitching and Maree Burke.

The Berserker Street facility not only provides subsidised meals to pensioners and those in need, but it’s also a place of connection for the 160 volunteers.

“A lot of them come here and form friendships; they will go out for coffee afterwards and catch up,” Ms Haks said.

“We have a Men’s Group out the back. They come at 9 o’clock in the morning and sit around and chat for two hours… If we can help them, because they are helping us, it’s so good for them.

“The volunteers, they enjoy themselves. In the kitchen before they were singing songs … it’s really rewarding to know that a lot of these people are coming from some difficult lives and they are coming in here and it’s their happy place.”

Ms Haks said it was also rewarding helping and serving the clients.

“When you get a family member who rings and just thanks you... because we are going each day to do that welfare check and having that social connection.

“They just thank you so much, they just appreciate it.”

Ms Haks has been in her position for four years and came from a background as a chef, working in various businesses from hospital, caterers, cafe, butchers and cooking for weddings and functions.

She uses this experience and knowledge in creating menus.

The menu can feature anything from chicken and camembert pie to pickled pork and mustard sauce to sweet treats such as coffee creme brulee and mango impossible pie.

Rockhampton Meals on Wheels business and operations manager Margo Haks inside the Berserker Street facility kitchen.

“My passion is just to try and give a well balanced, nutritious but exciting meal to the clients,” she said.

“A lot of them, that is the only thing they see each day, so we want to make it good and fun, and very interesting.

“In the kitchen at the moment they are making a lemonade cheesecake, we put on a popcorn panna cotta, we do beautiful soups.

“Just knowing what to put in a meal to make it balanced, plenty of the proteins and the carbs, hide a few of the things like lentils, chickpeas and quinoa and they don’t realise what they are eating and it keeps them healthy.”

Keeping costs down is a crucial key for the charity organisation.

The meals are offered at a cost of $15 each under a full-fee and $10 for pensioners.

The rising price of food has had an impact and Ms Haks said they have had to be very cost conscious.

“We source a lot of our stuff locally and we shop around a lot. I will go anywhere to get something that is a bit cheaper,” she said.

“Local suppliers have been fantastic for us and they do give us some good deals.

“We design our menu so it is affordable, we make most of the stuff here.

“I think a lot of people are finding cost of living is getting harder, even here some of our clients are taking up less meals.

“There is a real pinch at the moment.”

CAN YOU VOLUNTEER?

Meals on Wheels Rockhampton has put out a call for more volunteers to do delivery driving and assistants.

“It’s Monday to Friday, they leave at 11 o’clock and it’s two hours at the most, mostly just an hour,” Ms Haks said.

“Some people do five days a week here, some do one day a week and some one day a fortnight.”

Volunteers must have COVID-19 vaccinations and undergo a police check.

Drivers also receive a $6 fuel voucher as they are required to use their own vehicle.

To volunteer, phone the Rockhampton office on 4928 0758.

Forms are available here.