Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen people from all backgrounds in our community chipping in to help our community get through this challenge together. Over the past two months, the pub that shares a wall with my electorate office, the Plough Hotel in Footscray, has been leading a fantastic 'meals for healthcare heroes' program, led by chef Scott Thomas and manager Ben Foster. They ran an initiative encouraging locals to donate meals to healthcare workers at Footscray Hospital and Sunshine Hospitals. I was pleased to be able to have a few steak-and-ale pies and few growlers of beer, strictly for a good cause, and was very proud that the team managed to donate 800 meals to healthcare workers in eight weeks. It was an awesome effort.

Last month, the Hansen Reserves, West Footscray's fifth-best cover band, held a Funkin 4 Foodbank fundraiser, a live stream of music from Kindred Studios in Yarraville on the In Other Good News Facebook page. It was an awesome set list that spoke directly to my nineties' youth, but, even better, they were able to raise $6,051 in one night. Well, done Grant Philpots, Andy Fithall, Reuben Phillips, John Forde, and Dani and Dan from The Block for a fantastic night raising funds for one of the best causes going. They were so good that I'm calling it now and I'm bumping them up to West Footscray's fourth-best cover band. Next year, if they can raise another five grand for Foodbank—I'm putting the challenge down now—I will get them into the top three and onto the podium. So, come on guys: next year, five grand, and I'll recognise you here.