The Lismore Red Cross Tea Room on Keen Street, just down from the AZA Motel, is the last surviving Tea Room in NSW, according to Manager Lynn Felsch.

Given the role the Red Cross has played in Lismore's rich history, it is an aspect she wants to continue well into the future.

To achieve that goal, Lynn needs volunteers. Volunteers are a critical part of the Tea Room operations and an area that is proving more difficult to fill.

"Recruiting volunteers has always been an issue because of the way things are today. I put a lot of that down to the fact that it takes two couples to go to work today. It is the way it is in this economy. We used to get people who had to work for the dole, so to speak, but they don't have to do that anymore. We used to have them on our roster.

(Norma, Lynn and Marilyn volunteering at the Lismore Tear Room on Keen Street)

"They used to have to do 15 hours a week of community work or volunteering, and that would help everybody. But since COVID, that stopped because they had nowhere to volunteer, and it's never sort of come back.

Ideally, Lynn is after older volunteers, male or female, who can give a few hours a week.

"I think we're working now with about 17 volunteers, and some of them are not well at the moment. That's how we describe it. Normally, we used to have around 28.

"That works well because as a volunteer, you commit to a roster, but you're entitled to have time off if you need to go on holidays, your doctor's appointments or what have you, and that person's got to be replaced. So you got to have enough people to cover it all. You need at least about 28."

You can volunteer on a day that suits you, and the hours are 9am to 2:30pm. Shop hours are from 10am to 2pm, so they normally start at nine, prepare and go home after the place is clean."

There is no cooking in the Lismore Red Cross Tea Room, it is sandwiches, toasted sandwiches and other food items that are put together.

"It's pretty low-key, but we're popular with the customers. We have quite a few regulars that come in.

"Our menu is pretty regular too. We have a Tea Room special, or a Tray Special, is its nickname that has been on the menu ever since we opened in 1959. It is sandwiches, a sponge and cup of tea. It's still popular to all who come in.

"We always seem to have a lot of older people like us come in. It's quiet, and they can sit down and have a cuppa and something to eat. And, it's affordable. The Tray Special is only $7.50. We can sell things a bit cheaper because we don't have overheads. We don't pay wages, Red Cross own the building so we don't pay insurance and rates and those sort of costs."

The Red Cross building on Keen Street was purchased with money that was raised by the Lismore community. It was going to be sold in about 2011; however, through advocacy from politicians at the time, the building remained in Lismore instead of being part of a regional centre elsewhere.

"So, we still have the building because we feel the community did buy it," Lynn said.

If you have a day a week to help vounteer in the Red Cross Tea Room (132 Keen Street, Lismore CBD), please give Lynn a call on 0490 147 363 or pop into the shop.

The shop is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm, shifts can be three or six hours.                                         

You would cetainly be helping a long standing Lismore charity and helping keep the only Tea Room in NSW.