Father and daughter volunteering duo Peter Berry and Sherilyn Page
Story and photos by Julie Nance
Small business owner Sherilyn Page and her dad, retired public servant Peter Berry, have always been close. Volunteering together at the Blaxland Community Restaurant has deepened their relationship and brought joy to their guests and each other.
Key Points:
Volunteering Australia defines volunteering as “time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain”. The organisation’s 2021 study Evidence Insights: Volunteering and mental health reveals volunteering improves self-assessed psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction with life. The more hours you volunteer, the bigger the benefits.
Sherilyn and Peter have been volunteering together at the Community Restaurant since 2017. They say they gain far more than they contribute.
Restaurant guests cite the generosity of the volunteers, the great lunch, the positive and supportive atmosphere and the social interaction as some of the reasons they keep coming back.
Sherilyn and Peter were interviewed separately to gain their individual perspectives. Here’s what they had to say:
SHERILYN:
“Dad and I have always done lots of stuff together since I was little, including going to agricultural shows and fishing. Mum and I are just as close, but we enjoy different things: shopping together, having a cuppa and going to musicals, with our shared love of dance. With Dad, it has been the more outdoorsy stuff. We’ve always been close, so I think volunteering together has cemented that.
I started at the Restaurant before Dad who was a volunteer driver with Meals on Wheels for many years. When that role ended and a spot came up here for him, I knew it was going to be great fun. I volunteer every week and Dad is here once a fortnight, as is the case with most of the volunteers. He calls bingo, does the quiz questions and has great jokes. We always have a blast working together.
Everyone loves Dad, all the volunteers and clients. He’s very popular because he’s such a likable bloke. I see Mum and Dad a fair bit but it’s great finding out the family news each time we’re working together. It’s lovely to have a shared interest.
Community connections
The lunches are so valuable for people, particularly if they are living alone. Our clients can meet friends and we hear them organising their next week’s outing. Someone has heard about a bus trip, then they’ll tell their friends on the table and they might all end up going.
For some people, coming to the Restaurant is their only outing in the week. They have a nutritious meal, good company and laughter.
Lunch comrades Peter Stapleton, Jim Pope, John Marcusson and John Brown.
“I’ve been coming here with my wife for 15 years and we’ve volunteered for some of that time. We don’t have to think about what to eat, we don’t have to prepare a meal or wash up. We have good company.” – Jim Pope
The value of giving back
Sherilyn: “Volunteering is honestly the best thing I’ve ever done. You feel very appreciated because you’re giving something back. It has also opened networks for me, for getting work. I’ve met so many people and I’ve gained a lot of my cleaning jobs through volunteering because people know people, who know people. It has been invaluable.
And it’s good for you mentally. It gives you a sense of value. I don’t think I’d ever not volunteer now. It’s great for people’s minds and their longevity. A lot of volunteers, including at Gateway Family Services where I help with Christmas hampers, are well into their 80s and there are people in their 90s who are still volunteering. It’s good for the soul.”
The generous folk who make the Blaxland Community Restaurant a success celebrate a year of collaboration and fun. They transform an empty hall every time into a lovely dining experience.
PETER:
“Volunteering with Sherilyn is a father-daughter, building relationship type of thing because you see your daughter in a different light to normal family life. You gain new insights by working together in a collaborative way.
Sherilyn has an amazing gift of relating well to older people which is something my wife Helen and I have noticed for some time. It’s a gift, I think. She seems to easily slot into conversation with someone who might be 50 years older than her. And she’s patient and genuinely interested in how people are going with their health, their interests in life and what they might have done that week.
Fond memories
One of my earliest memories of doing things together with Sherilyn is fishing. She was a four-year-old with her little straw hat on. She had a real instant knack for it. I also remember making a fence once when she was really young, and I was drilling holes to put in the screws. It was her job to blow the sawdust out of the holes.
Colourful characters
You hear some of the most amazing stories about our guests’ lives; you could write a book. We’ve got a couple who have turned 100. There’s a lot more women than men, probably because women live longer.
I save all the newspaper trivia questions from the week and it’s amazing the breadth of knowledge some of our guests have. They struggle a bit, like I do, with modern movies and music but they are great with any of the historical stuff.
Sometimes the little kids from the preschool across the road come over and do some drawings and sing a song. It’s a bit like a mini version of the TV show Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds.
Barbara Ellston and Margaret Pope enjoy the friendly and social atmosphere.
“When you live on your own it’s nice to have somewhere to enjoy community chatter and lunch. When you listen to other people and their challenges, it puts your own into perspective.” – Barbara Ellston
Donating time
Peter: “Volunteering is a two-way process. It adds to the quality of life of our guests who come to the Restaurant and you’re contributing to that. But there’s a level of satisfaction that you’re giving to the community as well. We’re not out rescuing people from floods or in a fire truck in danger, but it’s a small contribution to the community.”
Peter hands cook Yung Yung Mitchell a thank you gift at the Christmas luncheon.
Take Action:
Blue Mountains Food Services has five community restaurants across the Blue Mountains, from Blaxland to Blackheath. At Blaxland you can enjoy a freshly prepared two-course meal from $10 in a friendly, social setting. Location: Sharon Burridge Hall, Lower Mountains Community Centre, Hope Street, Blaxland. Check out the details here. Phone 4759 2811 to book or for more information. Once you have booked, you can turn up as early as 10.30am to socialise. Bingo starts at 11.00am and lunch is at 11.45am. There’s lucky door prizes and a table of books to choose from. Transport can be arranged via Active Care Network (previously GREAT Community Transport) on 4722 3083.
If you are interested in volunteering with Blue Mountains Food Services in a community restaurant, Meals on Wheels or providing social support, phone 4759 2811 or visit here. Free training and support is offered.
Belong Blue Mountains also offers a range of opportunities for community members to volunteer to help others or be involved in community activities. Volunteers receive free training and are well supported. Find out more.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Tickets now available here for the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium on 2nd August. A day of internationally renowned speakers, forums, live entertainment and family activities to grow an urgent groundswell for peace (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-peace-symposium
Today is the 80th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bomb test. Three weeks after today the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan. Help us grow a groundswell of support to ban these horrific nuclear weapons that have caused so much cancer, death and suffering. Check out this fabulous screen print produced by Don McGregor and Indigenous artist Burri for a Peace Festival in Katoomba 37 years ago! It will be on display with other peace posters at the Peace Symposium and Community Picnic on Sat 2nd August. Don is one of the founders of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective which will be meeting at the Planetary Health Centre at 10am this Saturday. All welcome to help us prepare for the Symposium where we’ll be hearing from internationally regarded speakers on how we can work to stop wars and get nuclear weapons banned. Book your place early here as places are limited for the talks (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-peace-symposium
We`re thrilled to be hosting a delicious lunch to launch the new Greater Blue Mountains Rotary Club on Sunday 27 July at the Planetary Health Centre. The Rotary Clubs of Central Blue Mountains, Katoomba and Blackheath are joining forces and their first project is to fundraise to purchase `rooming-in` cribs for Blue Mountains Hospital. It`s an opportunity to meet the new Club members, and become part of a global network of more than 1.2 million people who volunteer their skills and resources to solve issues and address community needs. Rotary has 7 areas of focus that all contribute to the health of our planet: Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy; Community Economic Development; and Protecting the Environment. $5 of every lunch ticket goes towards purchasing a rooming-in crib for the hospital. You can purchase a ticket here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/celebrating-the-launch-of-greater-blue-mountains-rotary
At the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium on August 2nd, Robert Tickner AO, the Ambassador for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), will explain how ICAN is building a powerful global groundswell of public support for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Dr Siswo Pramono, the Indonesian Ambassador, will explain why Indonesia ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in September 2024. They will both discuss the implications of the Treaty for regional and global peace. This discussion is part of a full day of activities at the Planetary Health Centre at which you can join the global groundswell for peace! View the program and get your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-peace-symposium (link in profile)
We`re thrilled that the Bearded Ladies Community Choir will be performing at the Peace Picnic which is part of the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium on Saturday 2 August. Check out the full day program and book your ticket here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-peace-symposium
We`re offering a great opportunity for 6-8 yr olds to learn some fun basic textile skills next Thursday 17 July, that will give them the confidence and inspiration to eventually learn how to sew, upcycle and repair! You can book a place here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/weaving-and-embroidery-workshop-for-6-8yr-olds
Did you know that the Peace Symbol, designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958, is based on flag semaphore signals? The vertical line represents the semaphore signal for "D" (for disarmament), and the downward lines represent "N" (for nuclear). Design and make your own Peace Badge at the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium and Peace Picnic on Saturday 2nd August at the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre (bookings here (link in profile: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-peace-symposium).
On another one of the badges below, the phrase "Hell no, we won`t go" is one which gained prominence in Australia during the Vietnam War, when conscription was introduced. Many young men refused to be conscripted, leading to protests, demonstrations, and the formation of anti-war movements. These movements, including the Moratorium campaigns, played a significant role in shaping public opinion and ultimately contributing to the end of Australia`s involvement in the war.
The Planetary Health Peace Symposium is bringing together veterans of the Peace Movement (including an organiser of the Moratorium campaign), Rotary and Quakers, Robert Tickner AO (ambassador for ICAN: the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), Mayor Mark Greenhill, a signatory of Mayors for Peace, Susan Templeman MP, Indonesian Ambassador Dr Siswo Pramono on Indonesia’s ratification of the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, as well as community members concerned about a world increasingly consumed by war. On the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, participate in a program of talks, film, stalls, music, art and a Community Peace Picnic as, together, we take urgent action for nuclear disarmament and peace.
It`s been 80 years since the horror of nuclear weapons was first unleashed with the US bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Find out how we can work together to stop this madness and grow a Movement for Peace at the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium on Saturday 2nd August. The day will include presentations by Robert Tickner AO, the Ambassador for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN); Mayor Mark Greenhill on Mayors for Peace; Susan Templeman MP; Dr Siswo Pramano: Indonesian Ambassador; veterans of the Peace Movement and young activists; Rowe Morrow OAM from Quakers; Jennifer Scott AM from Rotary International; journalist Harumi Hayakawa; and Dharug man Chris Tobin. It will also include a film screening, and a Community Peace Picnic with food, exhibition, stalls, badge and origami crane making and live music with the Bearded Ladies Community Choir. The Symposium has been organised by the Blue Mountains Peace Collective and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. Please share to help us grow a movement and book your tickets at the link below (link in profile):
The Bushcare Seed Collectors are meeting today from 10am to 3pm at the Planetary Health Centre. It`s a great way to learn more about propagating native plants. Watch our video below and read more in Katoomba Area Local News: https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/bushcare-seed-collectors/...
The Bushcare Seed Collectors are meeting today from 10am to 3pm at the Planetary Health Centre. It`s a great way to learn more about propagating native plants. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News: https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/bushcare-seed-collectors/ (link in profile)
We are holding School Holiday workshops for young people on Thursday 17 July. In these fun workshops with Sherlie Mcmillan (known for her Fashion Upcycling and Women`s Shed workshops) young people will be introduced to woodwork and textile crafts with a great teacher! Accompanying adults welcome.
Book for the Weaving and Embroidery Workshop for 6-8 yr olds here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/weaving-and-embroidery-workshop-for-6-8yr-olds
Book for the Workshop for 8-12 yr olds to Create a Pom Pom Launcher, Pom Poms and Headband here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/create-a-pom-pom-launcher-pom-poms-and-headband
Our new Planetary Health Newsletter includes the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium, School Holiday Workshops, today`s Planetary Health Bushcare, a story about a Men`s Group in Lawson, a workshop on Designing Your Future Home, and information on how to prepare for Bushfire Season with Council`s chipping service. You can read it here: https://bit.ly/3TkWGRj (link in profile) #planetaryhealth #peace #peacesymposium #bluemountains #schoolholidayworkshops #hope #solutions #mensgroup #katoomba...
Julie Nance is a community storyteller with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. In her coverage of the Lower Mountains area, she brings 30 years’ experience in communications, publishing and journalism.
After specialising in health and social issues as a journalist, Julie led creative teams in the government and not-for-profit sectors including the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, YMCA NSW, Cancer Council NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Julie is passionate about empowering people with quality information to help them make informed choices.
Julie Nance invited her 82-year-old mum to join her on outings in Lower Mountains parks, after months of being confined to home due to sickness. With fond memories of family picnics growing up, their quality time together in nature gave them both a much-needed lift.
