Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to acknowledge the enormous generosity of my local community during my recent winter appeal. Each winter my office acts as a drop-off point for donations of food, knitted beanies, blankets, scarves, toiletries and animal feed. The donations go to vulnerable members in our local community who are struggling during the cooler months.

This year I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. Over 85 individuals and 20 community groups have brought in donations. There have been thousands of items of food, hundreds of blankets, hundreds of items of clothing and hundreds of toiletries. We estimate that the value of donations made to our appeal is approximately $15,000.

I would like to acknowledge the many individuals who were not well-off themselves but gave what they could to help those less fortunate. Throughout the appeal, there were some truly heart-warming stories. I would like to share them with the House tonight. Marina, a pensioner, brought in a donation each fortnight when she received her pension payment. She is only on a pension. Each fortnight she brought something in. Lojsika, an 87-year-old woman who is unwell and bed bound, spent weeks lying in her bed knitting items to donate. Michael and Debbie Clarke brought an entire boot full of donations for animals at the RSPCA. They wanted to help the RSPCA but said they would be too upset to visit. So they felt that coming to our office was the right thing to do.

I would like to acknowledge the Aldinga Spinners Knitters Weavers and Felters, who dedicated weeks and weeks to knitting beautiful blankets, scarves and beanies. Year 5 students Maddie and Natalia, from Sheidow Park School, organised a huge amount of donations from students and families at the school. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Women's Association, in the south, needed a van to bring in all their donations—118 members of their association donated boxes and boxes of food. Stepping Stone Morphett Vale Childcare & Early Development Centre do Christmas in July. Instead of bringing gifts, they brought in donations to put under the tree.

There were other stories. A gentleman and his wife came in very emotional. He said he knew what it was like to be very poor. Even though he isn't well-off now, he wanted to bring in something to help others. They brought in a couple of cans and packets of chips but wanted to stay anonymous because he did not want to do it for the thanks. Then there was another older gentleman who brought in a lot of sanitary items because he thought it was unfair that women should have to pay for them. I would also like to acknowledge Wakefield House, who brought in donations almost weekly. The members at Wakefield House, which is a community centre for older people in our community, always have huge baskets and boxes of donations which have been donated by members of the community and volunteers who use Wakefield House. And then there was Kirsty and Parker. Kirsty came in to make some donations. Parker is her three-year-old son, and she was showing him the importance of giving to people in need. He was really excited to come in and give us the donations. This was just so heart-warming.

I would like to acknowledge all the community groups and individuals who donated: Ahmadiyya Muslim Women's Association of Adelaide; Aldinga Spinners Knitters Weavers and Felters; Days for Girls; Emu Community Children's Centre; Girl Guides of Seaford; Goodstart Early Learning Old Reynella; Hills Limited; Linking Southern Seniors Club; Lions Club of Hallett Cove & Districts; McLaren Vale Bowling Club; ACH Seniors; Meals on Wheels Hallett Cove; Minton Farm Animal Rescue Centre; Port Noarlunga Bowling Club; Rivers Morphett Vale; Rotary Club of Noarlunga; Sheidow Park School; Stepping Stone Morphett Vale Childcare & Early Development Centre; Wakefield House; Woodcroft Medical Centre; Woodend Children's Centre; Zonta Club of Noarlunga Southern Vales; and all those individuals who gave. Thank you. Your donations will help many in need. They will go to Anglicare at Christies Beach; St Vincent de Paul Noarlunga conference; Vines Uniting Church; Junction Australia at Christies Beach; the Flinders Foundation, particularly the volunteers who look after the premmie babies; and the RSPCA. From the bottom of my heart, I was moved and I thank you.