Shine Awards 2023: CWA Oakey president Wendy Gordon nominated for Country Kitchens work

Wendy Gordon and her CWA team give refugees in Toowoomba a place to make friends and put down roots, through a shared love of food.

Wendy Gordon is a nominee in The Weekly Times Shine Awards, supported by Harvey Norman. The Shine Awards celebrate Australia’s rural women who make a real difference to their communities and industries. If you know a rural woman whose story deserves to be told, nominated her in the form below.

Queensland CWA member Wendy Gordon has always loved to cook, and now she’s using that passion to help some of her community’s newest residents put down roots.

As president of the QCWA Oakey branch, and a convener of the group’s Country Kitchens program, Wendy runs workshops to inspire rural and regional people to make healthy choices in the kitchen.

Through a recent partnership with St Vincent de Paul Society, Wendy is delivering the cooking and nutrition classes to refugees, who not only learn about seasonal healthy foods available in Australia, but also make important social connections.

Wendy Gordon is CWA Darling Downs division co-ordinator and a facilitator of the CWA's Country Kitchens program. Picture: David Martinelli

“There was a previous convener who initiated the program,” Wendy said. “It was a new step for me.

“I can say I have gotten a lot more out of it than I ever thought

“The interaction with the refugees, and the friendships we’ve made and the fun we’ve had.

“I have a real passion for it. I love every minute.

“What better way to promote health in your community.”

The town of Oakey is northwest of Toowoomba, a refugee hub where many new residents are trying to assimilate, but with limited English language.

The CWA partnership with St Vinnies is also trying to address the rate of type 2 diabetes in refugee populations, often caused by changing to a western diet with high levels of sugar and processed foods.

The Country Kitchen cooking sessions share nutrition knowledge, but also help refugees overcome isolation and develop social skills.

Wendy said women of all ages, backgrounds and abilities took part, and she was often inspired by the hardships they endured.

“Some are as young as 17 years old, learning English and in a different country … living with other people but not necessarily relatives,” she said. “As a mum myself it tugs at the heartstrings.”

CWA NSW members Frances Anderson and Margaret Swift are also nominees in the Shine Awards, for their efforts supporting Eugowra in the community’s recovery after floods devastated the town on November 14 last year.