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.
If you haven`t yet tried the deliciousness of Good Fat Pastry you`ll be in for a treat at the Food Security Fair on Sat 18 October! Join Michael, the creative baker producing these mouthwatering plant based (and mostly gluten free) treats for breakfast, where he will inspire you to rethink everything you know about baking:
"Baking is both borne and constrained by convention—as are our expectations. Since Ancient Egypt and Rome, eggs, dairy, and cereals have been used in baked goods for flavour and functionality. The enormity of cakes, pastries, biscuits, and desserts we know and love—and the countless we have no awareness of—have been discovered and created through spontaneity and experimentation. Almost always resting on the magical transformations of these key ingredients under heat and energy.
Yet as the realm of food is one of creativity and sensory inquisitiveness there are inherent possibilities for alternatives—in replicating the familiar as well as creating novelty. This path can follow the complexities of molecular gastronomy or the simple pragmatism of substituting with what`s on hand. Find whatever works for you."
Spaces are limited so bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/food-security-fair-or-planetary-health-initiative
One of the highlights of our Food Security Fair on Sat 18th October is our Weaving with Weeds workshop at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. In this relaxing and enjoyable workshop Erin Hall will help you identify common invasive weeds that are ideal for basket making, and teach you the basic skills to weave a range of different objects. At the same time you`ll be removing and repurposing weeds that are destroying habitat for our wildlife! Places are limited so bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/food-security-fair-or-planetary-health-initiative
We’re thrilled to announce that tickets are now available for Ferment the Season with Holly Davis at the Blue Mountains Food Security Fair on Saturday 18th October at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Holly will demonstrate how to ferment the season to create more nutrient rich and digestible food. She is the co-founder of Sydney’s Iku Wholefoods and author of ‘Ferment - A Guide to the Ancient Art of Culturing Food’ and ’Nourish: Sustenance for Body and Soul”. Learn the foundational principles and several techniques for fermenting seasonally abundant produce. Fermentation increases nutrition and eating a little ferment with every meal has unlimited benefits for our overall wellbeing and the planet! Places are limited so book early here (Food Security Fair link in profile for tickets): https://events.humanitix.com/food-security-fair-or-planetary-health-initiative
Thank you to everyone who so generously contributed to our celebration of the centenary of World Animal Day, and our tribute to the life of artist, poet, author, Animal Liberation founder, and animal rights activist, Christine Townend, at the Planetary Health Centre yesterday. At a packed event we feasted on delicious plant-based food, inspiring art and poetry, and memorable conversations, as we shared our love and respect for the extraordinary world of animals of which we are a part. Join us for further celebrations at our Food Security Fair on Saturday 18 October. Register here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/food-security-fair-or-planetary-health-initiative
We`re thrilled to announce that tickets are now on sale for our inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on Saturday 18 October! Register here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/food-security-fair-or-planetary-health-initiative
The day will include stalls, talks and demos about growing, sourcing, cooking, preserving and enjoying plant based food and protecting habitat for wildlife.
Our fabulous line up of speakers and workshop tutors includes Dr Milena Bojovic on the Future of Food; Holly Davis, co-founder of Iku and author of `Ferment`; Michael from Good Fat Pastry; Nev Sweeney from Under the Choko Tree on how to build a Solar Powered Food Dehydrator; Lloyd Sharp from Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers; Marnee Fox from Forage to Feast; Teya Brooks Pribac from Plant Inspired; and Erin Hall on Weaving with Weeds. Stalls will include EarthRising Mushroom Farm, edible native plants, the Planetary Health Cafe and more. Each session needs to be booked individually as numbers are strictly limited.
This event is being supported by a sEEd grant from the Australian Association for Environmental Education.
This Saturday 4 Oct, on the centenary of World Animal Day, you can meet other people passionate about protecting our wild neighbours, and contribute to restoring habitat for wildlife with them, by coming along and joining our dedicated team of Planetary Health Bushcarers as we regenerate the bushland at the Planetary Health Precinct. Learn more and register to attend (1.30pm) here: (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-bushcare-spring-summer-2025
Woohoo! We are so thrilled. Katoomba poet David Brooks has just won the Prime Minister`s Literary Award for Poetry with his book "The Other Side of Daylight: New and Selected Poems". Come and celebrate with us this coming Saturday night when he`ll read from his work for a World Animal Day celebration at the Planetary Health Centre. Bookings here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/world-animal-day-raising-the-bar-for-nature
(apologies for dodgy screenshots ... we`ve been watching the awards streaming on YouTube tonight)
Join us next Sat 4th Oct to celebrate the exciting news that Katoomba writer David Brooks has been shortlisted for the Australian Prime Minister`s Literary Awards for his book of poetry: "The Other Side of Daylight: New and Selected Poems". It will be a night of art, poetry and delicious food as we also celebrate the centenary of World Animal Day, with David reading from his work alongside local poet Louise Wakeling, a tribute to artist, poet and founder of Animal Liberation, Christine Townend, and an Open Mic for poetry about the extraordinary species we share our world with. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/world-animal-day-raising-the-bar-for-nature
With each extreme weather event more hazardous materials enter our environment and impact human and planetary health, which is why, for 2025, we’re bringing together the Australian Bushfire Building Conference and the Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conference in Katoomba on 20-22 Nov, to address how we can all work together, from design to disposal, to both reduce disaster risk and the risk of hazardous materials. We urgently need to design, build and live differently, as well as better manage those hazardous materials that are already impacting our health and the health of our frontline emergency staff and volunteers.
At Full Cycle 2025 we’re bringing together leading experts to address how we can do this.
We`re thrilled to announce that Shane McArdle, Head of International Projects for the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) in Sydney, will present on local and global actions for eliminating asbestos and dust-related diseases. Shane has spent almost 10 years at the Australian Government Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) overseeing awareness raising and international strategies to prevent exposure to asbestos and to eliminate asbestos-related diseases.
Early bird registrations for the conference close on 7 October. You can learn more and register here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
The last six years have seen catastrophic and unprecedented wildfires in Australia and California. At the Full Cycle Conference on 20-22 Nov, A/Prof Owen Price will share his research which compares the patterns of housing loss in the NSW and Californian wildfires. With every fire, more hazardous materials are dispersed through the environment.
Owen has spent the past 18 years analysing empirical evidence of the effectiveness of bushfire mitigation strategies. This has included examining the effectiveness of prescribed burning, the drivers of fire spread and severity, fire suppression and house loss. He has published ~140 research papers and he is the Director of The Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires (CERMB) at the University of Wollongong. Owen is one of many leading speakers who will be joining us at Full Cycle 2025 to explore how we can reduce disaster risk and hazardous materials in a changing climate. Early Bird Registrations close on 7 October. Visit the website to learn more and register here (link in profile):
Keynote speaker Julian Cribb AM announced as anticipation builds for the inaugural Full Cycle 2025 Conference which will address some of the most critical issues of our time, and what we can do about them. Julian Cribb will speak on how we can cleanse our polluted planet and tackle the existential megathreats of the 21st century as he sets the context for the two day conference and community expo that`s a collaboration between the Australian Bushfire Building Conference, the Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conference and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative.
Co-founder of the Council for the Human Future, he has written over 9000 articles and 12 books, including How to Fix a Broken Planet, Earth Detox, Poisoned Planet, Surviving the 21st Century, The Coming Famine and Food or War. He will outline how climate change and the toxic tsunami of hazardous substances engulfing the world are two of ten megathreats that need to be addressed together and at the same time, urgently, and he’ll propose a plan for doing this.
Early Bird registrations close on Tuesday 7 October and there is still time to make a submission to be part of this seminal event. Read more about the conference and register here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
We had a fabulous dinner meeting last night to launch Rotarians 4 Planetary Health. It was exciting to bring together so much expertise and care for our community and the health of our planet! Initially we`ll be meeting fortnightly on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 6pm. If you`d like to join us register for the next meeting on Monday 13 October here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-rotarians-4-planetary-health
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.
