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A taste of community spirit in Werribee

Media releases

24 February 2014

Wyndham Park Primary School will officially launch its Community Canteen on Tuesday 25 February in what is an exciting new culinary initiative developed through the local Smith Family Hub.

In partnership with Wyndham City Council’s Healthy Together team, the school teamed with The Wyndham Community and Education Centre in Werribee to create a unique canteen, which will roll out nutritious vegetarian meals in a quest to promote good health among students and the wider community.

The school canteen model of yesteryear will be transformed from the usual fare into a ‘community canteen’ where everyone can get involved making healthy and tasty treats.

The menu will feature a mix of cultural influences to reflect the multicultural demographic of the area, and participants in the Community Canteen can also receive pre-accredited training in food handling, setting them on the path to future employment opportunities.

“All parents want to be confident their children are eating healthy nutritious meals at school, and it’s great that the Community Canteen is leading the way,” said The Smith Family’s Victoria General Manager, Mr Anton Leschen.

“The Community Canteen sets the standard for healthy eating in schools which is terrific, but it’s more than just about food. This initiative is also about providing a welcoming place for families to connect with their community, and The Smith Family is very proud to play a part in strengthening those ties.”

“The offer of pre-accredited training is another key benefit of the program, providing participants with a pathway towards future employment. This is especially important for the vulnerable families we support in the Werribee area,” Mr Leschen said.

The Smith Family has been supporting disadvantaged families in Werribee for over 10 years and, through its hub, closely works with Wyndham Park Primary School to facilitate partnerships which offer a range of extended services to students, their families and the community.

The Community Canteen project is a joint effort between The Smith Family, Wyndham Park Primary School, Wyndham Community and Education Centre and Wyndham City Council’s Healthy Together Team.

Wyndham Park Primary School parents and community members will work voluntarily in one of two ways; preparing the food and selling it to the school community and surrounding services. Those who are eligible can gain pre-accredited training in food handling and a reference from the program manager. A ‘Community Kitchen’ will also operate from the canteen one day a week, giving parents and community members an opportunity to cook nutritious and cost effective meals together in a social environment.

The Community Canteen launches on Tuesday 25 February, with the first community kitchen session. From Wednesday 26 February the canteen officially opens for business!

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au