HopeCare Bathurst is delivering Easter goodies in the Central West

The team at HopeCare have spent the last few weeks busily preparing for the Easter weekend, by collecting and wrapping fresh produce to be sent out to food service charities in the region.

This produce will be sent out to Blayney, Cowra, Canowindra, Parkes, Molong, Stewart Town and Orange, so that those in need will have some healthy treats to snack on over the long weekend.

According to HopeCare operations service welfare manager Elliot Redwin, this is especially important, as fresh produce can be hard to come by in busy periods.

"The big thing about Easter is that places are closed and things are expensive," he said.

"And everyone is doing it tough at the moment, so being able to have a little bit of fresh produce in the household will be really good for people," he said.

These products are not only expensive for those doing it tough during the cost-of-living crisis, they are also products that are generally difficult to source for charities and charity partners.

"It's stuff that's difficult for people to get a hold of as charities, so it's harder for people to access it at a cheaper rate if they are using food pantries, and also it's just really expensive to get through the shops," Mr Redwin said.

"We don't get a lot of fresh produce through so when we do, we make the most of it."

The fresh produce that is being sent out includes potatoes, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes and bananas, some ingredients that are crucial to producing the perfect Easter salad or side.

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Though Mr Redwin said that it was especially important to provide this produce during the Easter period, he said that it is something that HopeCare does all year round.

"We do this all the time though, it's not just Easter, but I think that it's extra nice right now, and we have the good stuff for Easter," he said.

From providing these services throughout the entire year, the team at HopeCare have received immense positive feedback, which in turn, ensures that the service is performing as it should.

"The people really appreciate it," Mr Redwin said.

"It's good to know that what we're doing is effective and it's working."

As well as appreciating that the operation is run as smoothly and successfully as possible, Mr Redwin said that he loves what he does, because of all the people involved.

"Everyone is so nice and they really appreciate it and they love what we do and it makes it really easy to do," he said.

More information regarding HopeCare services and ways to access these services is available via the website.

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