Community Dinners offer a helping hand in the heart of Nambour

Organisers Mike Morley and Wayne Taylor with volunteer Kent Roberts, centre, manning the BBQ: “We often hear that it’s having the company of other people around that people enjoy even more than the food.”

by Cameron Outridge

Two mates were having a coffee last August and got talking about the cost of living, inflation and financial stresses that everyone was facing. 

So they decided to do something about it. The seed was planted for Nambour Community Dinners on Thursday nights in the Town Square.  

“We thought it would be a great idea to provide a relief for struggling individuals and families,” said organiser Wayne Taylor. “Mike (Morley) and I came across the unused square at Nambour and thought it was a great central location.”

After about a year the reaction has been fantastic and the idea was growing each week.

“People are extremely grateful,” Mr Taylor said. “The  feedback we often get is that if they didn’t get fed by us that night then they would not have eaten that night. 

“The people genuinely love the community feel it gives by seeing so many gather in one place all happy and smiling.

“We often hear that it’s having the company of other people around that they enjoy even more than the food. 

“Arriving each week and having the locals there waiting and calling you by name, hugging you and thanking you means we’ve made an impact.”

Mr Taylor said they buy enough food for 120 people “and we go through it every single night”. 

“But we’d love to see more people come out and be a part of it. It’s  for everybody. Nambour might have a  reputation for having a lot of stuff  going on, but that exists in every town. 

“We get the young kids that we know are sometimes troublemakers. We get businesses. We get families. 

“Last week there’s a guy here,  and he runs one of the businesses in town, and he said: ‘Mate, the reason I came here tonight is because I’ve just got so many bills piling up’. He says ‘This one meal a week for me makes a massive difference’. 

“And he’s a business owner. This is just the hardships that general, normal people are going through.” 

Dinners are visited regularly by Cr David Law and Nicklin MP Rob Skelton. “Rob’s wife (Aggy) even makes homemade food for us,” said Mr Taylor.

Wayne and Michael wanted to give a shout out to the following local businesses for their support: The Gourmet Storr Bakery (fully donates all the bread rolls every week), Nambour Heights Butchers, Thirsty Camel, Aus Living Support, Suncoast Care, The Shack, GPAI Golf Shop, Bridgestone Nambour, Donut King, Vietnomnom, Cool Cats Rock n Roll, Cafe Bella, Drysdale Funerals, Savitrek, CNR Candy, Rhythm Initiative Caloundra, Penny Industries Forest Glen, Taylor Group Plumbing, Fix My Property Now, Ignite Church, AverageJoes, Dermasurg. 

• For info go to “Nambour Thursday Night Community Dinner” Facebook or Instagram page.

Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton and his wife Aggy with electorate officer Daniel Wilson and Aggy’s popular spring rolls which the couple prepared.

Volunteers Michelle Vines and Jenny Duckmanton with watermelon and muffins.