It’s been a strange year - and a different Christmas for people at the Winsome Hotel and Lismore Soup Kitchen. Despite Covid restrictions and lockdown, volunteers at the local service kept providing meals for up to 80 people a day, something that Winsome coordinator Mieke Bell said is at the heart of what it’s all about.

For the up to 130 people in our community who come to the soup kitchen at some time during the week for a meal, having food security means that they have less fear for their survival. And according to Mieke, that was especially true through the Covid lockdown period, when the Winsome had to shut its doors to its usual public sit down meals.

“On March 18, 2020 when Covid hit, we made a decision to go to with take away meals and did that for seven months,” Mieke said.

“It was important for volunteers and residents to be protected as we do so much there every day to support marginalised and homeless people in our city – and we could still provide food security through take away meals.

“Now, we are open again and people can come in, sit down and have lunch – but with limited numbers. Some people still prefer the take away option though.

Loss of connection

“It was sad during lockdown when people were not coming in. We lost the contact and good connection with people that we have when place is open, having conversations.

“Instead, people would queue on the pavement for lunch and our chaplain Ian Philips was there on the pavement talking with people.

Less anxiety

“While the connection wasn’t the same, three weeks into lockdown in April I saw there was not a heightened sense of anxiety - because food security was still there in the form of a quality meal take away.”

Outreach for rough sleepers

“At the time, Housing NSW did a more assertive outreach to rough sleepers as they recognised that they were vulnerable and offered them accommodation in motels and hotels.

“Out of that, some got permanent accommodation – and that’s a big plus that came out of Covid for some long tern rough sleepers.

Christmas 2020

Mieke said Christmas day was a scaled down affair this year.

“Christmas day was lovely,” she said. “We had 62 regular people come in, sit down and have lunch all within restrictions.

“Everyone enjoyed it and there was sense of family and community spirit and we were still able to have a distanced carol singing.”

Soup kitchen hours 2021

In 2021, the soup kitchen will be open for lunch at 11.30am, Monday to Friday and people came come, eat lunch and then leave. Mieke said she has a strict Covid safety plan involving sanitising and distancing procedures and recording those who come in.

On weekends, lunch will be take away only,

“We need staff to run a sit down lunch,” Mieke said. “Some days, we may only do take away if we don’t have enough volunteers.

“Our volunteer cooking team does an amazing job providing for so many and the food security they provide complements the other wrap around support services we offer.”

Other services

The Winsome Hotel and Lismore Soup Kitchen also offers doctor and dentist services, which were put on hold for most of 2020 under Covid restrictions.

“A lot of our services come through NSW Health and a directive came not to do outreach dental and doctor,” Mieke said. “But little by little, the services returned and the doctor clinic returned six weeks ago for the Winsome community.

“During lockdown people were offered support by phone tele health – but it’s nothing like face to face contact.”

Help and volunteers

The generosity of the local community in providing non-perishable food supplies never waned throughout the whole of 2020, Mieke said.

In 2021, the service is always looking for supporters who want to help out by donating food, money or volunteer their time,” Mieke said.

“Lots of people contribute to the community at the Winsome and we rely on that support because we neither get or seek government funding.

“Our main ongoing fundraiser is the Winsome 500 Club, where people sign up online and give money every month – that really helps.

“Volunteers can ring the volunteer coordinator and get oriented and a position on the roster – we never advertise because we always have volunteers through word of mouth.”

The future

With Jobkeeper and Jobseeker about to come to an end in early 2021, Mieke said she expects to see more people needing their services.

“Early in 2020, we expected more to come in and require our services but Jobkeeper kicked in,” she said. “The end of Jobkeeper will impact on families and individuals ability to cope.

“When those supports are withdrawn, we will be here – all organisations like us will be called on for help 

For more information, or to help out, visit https://www.winsome.org.au/