SHE ensures people on limited incomes have access to fresh food on a budget and now Anne Hopwood has been named Senior Volunteer of the Year.
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Mrs Hopwood received the award at the Central West region stage of the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards in Bathurst on Thursday.
She said pleased to receive the honour, saying it was nice to be acknowledged.
“But I also think it’s about all the other people who make FoodCare such a great place,” she said.
Mrs Hopwood joined the organisation about five years ago, not long after its inception.
“I was at the end of working and I thought I’d look around for something to do,” she said.
“I met a friend who was involved and I just got involved.”
Now the organisation’s chairperson, she said there were two reasons for supporting FoodCare.
“It’s a food relief service and a food rescue service,” she said.
“We’re all thinking about waste so food rescue is really important.”
FoodCare currently distributes 150-200 kilograms on goods a week to about 100 customers, sourced from supermarkets, individual stores and even farmers, which might otherwise go to landfill.
“A grower might have too many plums on the plum tree and they say, would you like some plums?” she said.
“I think that’s a fabulous thing that we are able to utilise all that food.”
Mrs Hopwood said volunteering brought more benefits than purely the satisfaction of helping others and the 60 FoodCare volunteers had formed friendships and close-knit teams.
“If they don’t have too many on that day, they pull together and work hard, it’s a great atmosphere and they enjoy being there,” she said.
“They all getting something back, and that’s the thing about volunteering – it’s not a one-way street, you’re receiving more than you actually give.”
She said the key was choosing a cause people felt related to them and not to put it off.
“You’ve got to get the right cause, I think that’s important,” she said.
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Danielle Cetinski
Danielle started at the Kiama Independent in 2010 before moving to the Central Western Daily in 2014. She covers council, court, politics, general news and business, and elections are her favourite time of the year. Got a tip? Email danielle.cetinski@centralwesterndaily.com.au
Danielle started at the Kiama Independent in 2010 before moving to the Central Western Daily in 2014. She covers council, court, politics, general news and business, and elections are her favourite time of the year. Got a tip? Email danielle.cetinski@centralwesterndaily.com.au
