PARTNERING FOR COMMUNITY AND PARTNERING FOR LIFE
For four years, a double garage served as a backyard shed in Perth,
Western Australia. It began as a storage
space for perishables and soon became a free store where neighbours stopped by
to pick up food,-clothing,-household items, share a chat and feel connected to
their community. Sadly, after serving the neighbourhood for four years, the
couple behind the conversion made the difficult decision to keep closed their
shutters, for personal reasons.
Couple Dianne and Bill Vanderplas rechannelled their attention from serving
community to now serving family. This, by
focussing their care on Dianne’s 91-year-old mum and 94-year-old dad. The nonagenarians, who have been living and
caring for each other in their own home, needed Dianne’s and Bill’s help to
continue to live safely and in their own home.
The idea to run a free store began in 2022. At the time, 67-year-old Dianne was preparing
meals for pensioners. She suffered a
heart attack, was hospitalised and had to discontinue the service. Not one to idle, Dianne sought ways of recovering
her health while keeping intact Bill’s and her love for service to community. After a chat with each other, the couple decided
to run the free store. States 72-year-old
Bill, a cancer survivor, “It has been the therapy which we both did need in our
situation.” Adds Dianne, “But for our
relationships with our two teenage grandchildren, our only other social interactions
have been with the people that come from suburbs as far as Eglinton, Padbury,
Bassendean and Midland to pick up their hampers and share with us their life
stories.”
At first, the Vanderplases volunteered their time for four days a
week- Thanks to Dianne’s sister Norma Abbott who helped with the sorting/packaging
and Bill’s friend Barry Lie-Birchell who helped with the transportation of the
goods from the supermarkets (Coles & Woolworths) to their shed in Noranda. Sadly,
Barry’s passing away, had the couple reorganise their energies over two days a
week – Sat/Sun. Say Dianne and Bill in unison, “The work
involves around nine hours a day beginning 7am and ending 4pm. We drove around Noranda-Caversham-Karrinyup-Morley
collecting the goods from the supermarkets, unloaded it in our shed and then prepared
the hampers which then were collected each week by 50 families.” These included those experiencing food crisis,
financial constraints and domestic violence.
Comradrie aside, the Vanderplass have had their fair share of confrontations.
too. With lesser food becoming available
from the supermarkets, they have had to downside their giveaway containers from
big boxes to small bags. It had them
endure unpleasantries by the select few community members who felt entitled;
one of whom called the Vanderplass “racists.”
Thanks to helper-cum-well-wisher couple Helen and Bob Kempton who diffused
the otherwise explosive situation. It would
be apt to mention here that the Vanderplass services extended to schools’
breakfast clubs, treats for girl guides and sports camps where they have supplied
around 1000kgs of bread-pizzas-fruit.
Operating under the auspices of Wider Communities Food Relief Incorporated
Ridgewood, the Vanderplass are one of three sheds that have volunteered their
space, time and efforts to run the free store for four consecutive years. Dianne’s and Bill’s dedicated service evinced
a visit-cum-token of appreciation from CEO Linda Garland who has had 36 sheds operating
under her charity banner. It also
fetched an unexpected visit from one of Coles Store Managers who has
experienced homelessness and wanted to acknowledge the Vanderplass humanity and
hospitality extended to those in times of need.
While the shelves in the Vanderplass shed/fridge/freezer now are empty,
many neighbours feel that the free store's impact is here to stay. What started
as a simple idea in a backyard shed became a symbol of community spirit and proved to the hilt that even a small
space can make a big difference. As in
the words of 41-year-old Andrea Suarez, a single stay-at-home mum of two young
kids (one of whom is non-verbal autistic), “At a time, when most are looking at
renting their space, cutting fuel costs and lending their time for monetary
gains, Dianne and Bill have been working tirelessly to contribute their mite
towards community. Considering I was struggling
with depression, to me, Dianne and Bill unknowingly bettered my mental health
and created hope in my family. I
strongly believe that they have left a large void that only Dianne and Bill can
refill.” Andrea has been a recipient of
the store’s generosity since its inception.
Her sentiments pay tribute to Dianne’s and Bill’s years of service…Not
only to the pensioners, the neighbourhood and their family…But also to the approximate
50 children that they have fostered under their loving care.
SOPHIE MENEZES
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