Coffee van serving up smiles

Published on 05 May 2020

The Centre for Participation is doing its bit to help Horsham’s frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has set up a takeaway food van to provide refreshments for staff and visitors at Wimmera Base Hospital.

Known as the Social Pantry, it operates on weekends when the hospital’s main cafeteria is closed, providing good coffee and home-cooked food where it is needed most.

The van is part of the Centre for Participation’s migrant support program. The women who staff it gain valuable commerce experience that is intended to help set them up for a successful business future in the Wimmera.

There is also an experienced barista on hand to share the secret to making a good coffee.

“It’s about showing our local healthcare workers that they are appreciated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Centre for Participation’s Julie Pettett said.

“We’re lucky to have such amazing people looking after us and hopefully this can help brighten up their day.

“At the same time the staff, who are from Papau New Guinea and the Karen community, are learning new skills such as managing EFTPOS and customer service.

“The intention is for them to be able to start their own micro enterprise and possibly sell their own goods and produce in the future.

Ms Pettett said the van was set up so it wouldn’t compete with existing business and only made enough money to cover its costs. 

“We started over the Easter weekend at the back of the hospital and since then we’ve moved to the front of the hospital where we can also serve visitors.

“People living around the hospital site are also enjoying the opportunity to walk past and grab a quick take away coffee.

“We have new things added every weekend and it’s been very popular,” she said.

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