Goulburn’s Uniting Church has a new commercial standard kitchen in its Wesley Centre.
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The launch of this new facility on November 5 delighted NSW Minister for Family and Community Services (FACS), Pru Goward, who was impressed by the practical design for preparing meals for functions, modestly priced Friday lunches and the annual free Christmas Day lunch that have been been a feature of the church’s outreach for the past 10 years.
Ms Goward spoke of the plight of needy people in our community and was pleased that the new kitchen would help address that need. The need for a commercial-grade kitchen became apparent five years ago when the Uniting Church opened a Drop-In Centre at the Wesley Centre, providing hospitality to homeless people or those in danger of becoming homeless.
This service, which includes the provision of showers and a mailing address together with a cooked breakfast every day of the year, has continued uninterrupted since then.
To plan and organise the redevelopment, a small committee was formed consisting of Rosemary Miller and John and Jenny Townsend.
The upgrade included a grease trap, mechanical ventilation over the stove and dishwasher, new ceiling and lighting, new joinery, air conditioning, new flooring, stainless steel flow-through bench and dishwasher for fast washing up and drying, and screen doors.
The kitchen is also available for hire. Finance was obtained through grants from the NSW Government Department of Family and Community Services and the sale of the former minister’s residence at Gunning.
Ms Goward cut the celebration cake watched by committee members John Townsend, Jenny Townsend and Rosemary Miller.
“The kitchen has been called ‘the hub of this old house’. In its latest transformation now, it is the Uniting Church Community Kitchen, the hub of our community relationships,” Mrs Miller said.
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