Coles and Collingwood Football Club join forces to help the needy during coronavirus crisis

The Salvation Army’s Major Brendan Nottle is used to dealing with welfare emergencies day or night. But he didn’t expect to attract police attention during a late-night virus delivery.

Collingwood Football Club operations director David Emerson (left), Salvation Army Project 614 director Maj Brendan Nottle and a Coles delivery driver.

On a rainy night last week, Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle was pulled over by police while doing an emergency run in a van just donated to the welfare agency.

“I was trying to put the wipers on but I kept putting on the left-hand indicator by mistake,” he said.

“So the police pulled me over because of the indicator, they asked me if I was okay and what I was doing out at two in the morning.

“I explained that I was helping the homeless.”

The Salvation Army’s Major Brendan Nottle says calls for help are rising. Picture: Martin Keep

For Maj Nottle, who was sent on his way with best wishes, it was in some ways a typical night in extraordinary times.

With coronavirus rampant, the Salvos Project 614 service has seen a jump in people seeking emergency relief from about 30 to 95 a day.

“This is just the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, so you can only imagine what lies ahead,” Maj Nottle said.

Crucial to the Salvos work is help from businesses like Crown and organisations like the City of Melbourne and Australia Post.

Coles is also a key player, providing support to Magpie Nest – a housing and services program for the vulnerable run by the Salvos and Collingwood Football Club.

On Friday, Coles and the club delivered 2000 meals and frozen vegetables, cereal, milk, health bars, jam, tea and coffee for food hampers to 150 Magpie Nest residents including domestic violence victims and rough sleepers.

Maj Brendan Nottle (left) and Collingwood Football Club operations director David Emerson receiving supplies from Coles. Picture: Martin Keep.

Maj Nottle said it was an example of incredible generosity at a time when many people were deeply hurting.

“It’s also going to help those people who can’t leave their homes, can’t access supplies – we’re getting a lot of calls like that,” he said.

Coles CEO Steven Cain said many vulnerable people were missing out on

essentials due to COVID-19.

“Our teams are working hard to feed as many people and communities as we can,” he said.

Coles has also been donating extra food and groceries worth $1 million a week to groups like Foodbank and SecondBite.

@JMasanauskas