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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-13 Daily Xml
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Hutt St Centre

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:31): Today I would like to dedicate my speech to a woman who has been an inspiration to myself and to her peers, a woman who has selflessly dedicated her life to helping those in need. Her name is Brenda McCulloch. She started at the Hutt St Centre in 1994 as their first professional kitchen manager, and has achieved 21 years of service in April this year.

The Hutt St Centre was established by the Daughters of Charity in 1954 in response to the need they saw in the south-east corner of the city of Adelaide. The mission for the Hutt St Centre was to provide a multi-service, non-residential agency to support homeless and vulnerable residents in the inner city of Adelaide. That mission remains true today.

In addition to the essential personal and professional service, the Hutt St Centre aims to achieve secure housing and social inclusion for all those who are disadvantaged and homeless, including the frail and aged men and women. Over time the centre has expanded its services available to the homeless. Showers, laundry facilities, visiting health professionals, an aged city living program for older clients, recreational activities, education and training, legal aid, and assistance with finding housing are all the services provided to the 200-plus homeless people who visit the Hutt St Centre each day.

Now, back to Brenda. She has mastered an amazing ability to prepare 48,000 meals each year for somewhere between $1.45 and $1.65. Services include both breakfast and lunch, Monday to Friday, and on Sundays and public holidays a breakfast service, consisting of tea and toast, and a lunch service consisting of take-away lunch. Brenda is constantly looking for new and improved ways of fundraising and sourcing local fresh produce for the kitchen. Her frugal Scottish heritage helps in that area.

Having spent time with Brenda in the Hutt St Centre kitchen on a number of occasions, I have witnessed how truly loved she is by all the volunteer staff and clients. I have witnessed the great amount of respect given to her by the centre staff, volunteers and clients. I have also witnessed and heard what I am sure is only the tip of the iceberg of some funny stories of her great sense of humour in the kitchen. In an environment that is fast paced, she certainly knows how to keep the mood light and motivated and everybody happy and focused.

The Hutt St Centre has over 165 weekly volunteers, not just working in the kitchen but undertaking a range of different roles in the centre. This level of volunteer support for the Hutt St Centre is extraordinary and just shows the level of community support for the work the centre undertakes in assisting homeless people in and around Adelaide.

I have witnessed the great amount of respect given to Brenda by the centre's staff and volunteers. On 14 July 2011, Brenda delivered her one millionth meal to homeless people in Adelaide. Later that year Brenda and Dulcie Boag (a long-term volunteer) were both included in the Women's Honour Roll. In 2012, Brenda was named the Adelaide City Council's Citizen of the Year. Again in 2011, she also won the Rotary Club of Adelaide Parks Pride of Workmanship Award. She has also worked hard to ensure that all her meals are of high nutritional value and has adapted to the many changes in food preparation over the years.

Brenda has contagious and infectious humour and sincerity, which endears her to all. She is a true gem. Brenda is one of the many staff of the Hutt St Centre, which is ably led by Ian Cox. The centre does such a wonderful job in assisting some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised in our community. I sincerely thank Brenda and all the staff and volunteers at the Hutt St Centre for the wonderful work they do in our community.

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