Tuesday 25 August 2015

Lunch at 100 Hampton Road

As a result of the cake stall we were really overwhelmed by people's support and gratitude. FormWA invited us to lunch at 100 Hampton Road (or the seahorse building as we like to call it). Unfortunately we weren't able to make last week's lunch but we could this week.
Jack and I arrived bearing what Sonya calls a friendship loaf and were soon put to work (once some helpful people showed us where to go). We were put on flatbread duty with John and could smell the most amazing smells (Goan chicken curry and dahl). Jack and I helped make the dough, shape the flatbreads and then cook them on the barbecue and then we all got to sit down together and eat.
Jessica, who is an ex-masterchef contestant was there too, not filming just chatting to the residents and cooking the curry. She was lovely.
Jack and I had a great time. The residents and staff were so friendly and welcoming and we got to see the new kitchen which is huge!
I will be popping back soon to give some starter and the recipe for my pumpkin bread to one of the guys.
We felt so honoured to be invited to share lunch and so pleased to hand over the money we raised from the cake stall.





Cake!

Near where I work there is usually one homeless man called Michael. Sometimes he has company. Lately it's been a guy called Wayne who has a great laugh. During winter we felt sorry for these guys and were providing them with the occasional hot meal. That was until our employers told us to stop as it would only encourage them to hang around (repeat after me they are people not seagulls). I was very sad about this, as was Jack as he had come with me to work during the holidays.
We came up with the idea of having a cake stall to raise money for the homeless. We talked it over and decided to go with two awesome charities, Shortbacks and Sidewalks who provide haircuts (and a whole lot more) for homeless people and formwa's fundraiser for 100 Hampton Road called Pitch in for a kitchen.
FormWA are such an amazing organisation, funding some of our favourite street art, but also doing wonderful things at 100 Hampton Road which is not far from us. The building is social housing but there is a shared kitchen with the plan for residents to come together to make chutneys and jams and bread that can be sold to the community.
So we worked out a day, did a letterbox drop and hoped for good weather.
I baked for days. The fridge was full of proving dough.
Jack made posters and put them up.
The day was beautiful and sunny and we had fantastic support from our neighbours and friends. We sold out of all the bread in the first half hour and made $400.






Thursday

I work every second Thursday, so S and I have been taking advantage of this and trying all the yum cha places in Northbridge. This time we also went to the art gallery and the museum. Serendipitously, there was a great exhibition which was photos of Australian soldiers from the first World War in Vignacort, France. The photographic plates were found in an old trunk in an attic, many years after the war. The photographs were in turn funny, moving and thought provoking. 

Sunday 2 August 2015

Doing time

Jack has guitar lessons in the Fremantle prison. It's no longer open for business although there are tours and a business centre. The offices are in the old cells though not everyone gets one of the death row ones. There's talk of putting a youth hostel in there too.
Jack is nonplussed about the history of his music room, although he was listening intently when a tour came through. Lots of questions about Moondyne Joe and David Birnie. It was my first time there on Friday afternoon and it was certainly unique.