By Emma Xerri
With Christmas fast approaching, the dedicated Berwick branch of the Country Women’s Association are hard at work, raising funds and spreading cheer.
Working with an array of local organisations and public figures, branch president Kate Azzopardi is hoping their work can ease the burdens of the holiday season for Casey families most in need.
“I’ve had a couple guest speakers visit us throughout the year and Brad Battin was one of them. He knows a lot about what’s going on with families, and how they are struggling. So my brief for him was tell us what you know and give us a plan we might be able to turn our focus to to help,” Ms Azzopardi said.
“He said that during Covid he received a pay rise, but felt that given how many people were losing their jobs and couldn’t go to work, he didn’t deserve the rise. With the increase, he made Christmas hamper packs that included little things most families wouldn’t be able to put into the shopping trolley on a good week let alone coming up to Christmas.
“After he left, the ladies and I thought that would be an amazing thing for us to do. Even if we only fundraised enough for 10 hampers, that would be 10 families who would have an amazing Christmas day on behalf of us.”
After the branch’s closure in 2015, its revival this year can be attributed to Ms Azzopardi and the 30 passionate local women who volunteer alongside her, allowing for the group’s fundraising aspirations to be made a reality.
“Since 2018 I’ve been on my own little quest to reopen the branch, but needless to say Covid got in the way of all that. But I’ve finally been successful in doing so this year,” Ms Azzopardi added.
“I came up with the idea of having a wine and cheese event in October, with all the wines and cheese donated to allow us to fundraise $2500. My anticipated budget is about $100 per hamper, so that was already 25 hampers for 25 families.
“We then held a stall at a community market day, selling devonshire tea with scones, slices and biscuits, and we ended up raising another $600.
“Then I recently did a walk of the streets, seeking financial support from Coles, Woolies and Aldi, who have all contributed.
“So we’re now up to $3400, which I expect will allow us to provide 34 hampers.
“I’m very fortunate to have found such an amazing group and I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in seven months. It’s been a phenomenal ride, and incredibly humbling to see how many people out in the community are doing their own great work.”
But Ms Azzopardi is well aware that the contributions of others outside the branch have provided much appreciated support, as well as help in educating the women of the CWA on just how important initiatives like this are in Casey.
“I have since met Helen Scott, who works with the Casey North Community Information and Support Service. They provide a lot of mental and emotional support for their clients, but also help with job seeking, budgeting, housing and emergency accommodation, and debt,” she said.
“She came to the wine and cheese night and shed light on how bad things really are in Casey, saying that Casey is amongst the worst areas in Melbourne for overcrowding in homes and homelessness.
“She is reaching out to 30 families for us to start with, to make sure they are happy to receive a hamper from us.
“I’ve also been in touch with Bobo who runs an organisation in Pakenham called Have a Little Hope. She does amazing work out there as well, and has offered me toys that we can provide for all the families receiving the hampers.
“My ladies and I are just so excited to see how many families we can spread a bit of Christmas love to, and how many children are going to have extra presents under their tree this year.
“As I said, even if it was only 10 families that we were able to help, that would be 10 less families that would be eating a substandard Christmas day meal.”
