Yarrambat Park Golf Course helps local charity ‘make a positive difference’

This week it was announced by the Victorian government that metropolitan Melbourne would move in to stage four restrictions in order to limit the continued outbreak the of the COVID-19 virus in the state. Along with many other businesses, golf courses have been forced to close their doors.

In these trying times, staff at Yarrambat Park Golf Course saw an opportunity to help some of those most vulnerable within the Whittlesea community and contacted the Whittlesea Food Collective to donate a car load of food, that would have otherwise been wasted.

Belgravia Foundation CEO Dr Jeff Walkley, said “The staff at Yarrambat have done a lot more in the community in addition to this. They have run many events, signed up sponsors, submitted grants and they really embrace the Foundation and support their community.”

The Whittlesea Food Collective (WFC) is led by Whittlesea Community Connections on behalf of the Whittlesea Emergency Relief Network and is currently focused on providing food to the existing 2,500 families it supports. Since the first lockdown in March, WFC has distributed over 1,400 food hampers.

The lead of WFC (and long-time member of the course), Alex Fabiani said he personally delivers 70 food hampers to people in the community a week. The hampers contain staples such as bread and milk, pasta and rice, fresh fruit and vegetables…even chocolate for the kids.

“We know that there will be many more people who will experience food insecurity and need support as the COVID-19 pandemic leads to more job losses and redundancies. This week, the food donated by the golf course, combined with other food donations from local businesses, produced 200 food hampers that will aid individuals and families in need,” Mr Fabiani said.

“The support of local businesses and local government is essential to the continued success of the programs WFC runs. We are very grateful to local businesses and local government for their generosity and support”, Mr Fabiani said.

The biggest thing Mr Fabiani has learnt from the pandemic is the reduction in social interaction is having a big impact on people’s mental health.

“I can’t wait for restrictions to ease so that people can get together again and I can get back to playing golf”, Mr Fabiani said.

WFC is part of a broader project, the Whittlesea Community Farm and Food Collective, which is a partnership between Whittlesea Community Connections, Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Polytechnic and City of Whittlesea. For further information on WFC, please visit their website here.

Tax-deductible donations to the Belgravia Foundation can be made by heading to our donation page. Please click here to support.