Elsie Lange
Neil and Marianne Williams have spent a decade helping feed those who need a hot meal.
The pair’s service to the community of Sunbury, through the Sunbury Neighbourhood Kitchen, has earned them each a medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
They have no idea who might have nominated them, but having touched so many lives tackling local food insecurity, it’s no wonder they made the prestigious list.
“We’ve never had this sort of recognition in our whole life,” Ms Williams said, while her husband described receiving the news as “humbling”.
“It’s a great honour, we don’t do anything to get recognition, we just do it for our great community,” he said.
Ms Williams said through their business, N&M Catering and Event Party Hire, they had done what they could to support local initiatives, such as SunFest, the Sunbury RSL and the Rotary Club of Sunbury, but wanted to do more.
“Neil and I had come to have an idea with our leftover food items from our catering business to help the homeless and the people who were in need,” she said.
“September 2013, 10 years ago, was when Neil and I, with the support of the Rotary club of Sunbury, commenced a community kitchen.”
From there, they began cooking and providing hot meals to those who were less fortunate.
And then it continued to grow.
“After three years, the community kitchen became its own stand alone charity organisation, with over 45 volunteers, providing over 220 meals every week,” she said.
The president and vice president of the kitchen said its success could not have been without its team of great volunteers and ongoing community support.
Every Monday – kicking off again in February 2023 – the kitchen is open at Sunbury Memorial Hall for people to arrive and take something warm and nourishing.
Ms Williams said you’d have to sit with her “for a week” in order to tell you how many people have had their lives improved through a meal.
“From Sunbury Neighbourhood Kitchen other communities have been created and there are so many beautiful stories of how people have achieved [since they’ve come to us],” she said.
Sitting across from each other, Mr Williams said when he looked at his wife and thought about their achievements during their 36 years of marriage, he felt “very proud”.
Ms Williams replied, “Yes, we’re two crazy people doing things [together”.
