Bellingen Hospital’s Pink Auxiliary signs up new volunteers for Mary’s Tea House Coffs Coast Highlight Section Nambucca Valley Photo Gallery by News Of The Area - Modern Media - February 19, 2023 The community comes along to check out volunteering at Mary’s Tea House at Bellingen Hospital SIX new volunteers will join the fabulous and formidable fundraising volunteers known as the Pink Auxiliary who work in Mary’s Tea House at Bellinger River District Hospital. With volunteers becoming thin on the ground, the hard-working members of the Bellingen Hospital and Pink Auxiliary turned to social media to ask for new volunteers to work in their beloved café, Mary’s Tea House. The Bellingen and Urunga communities showed, once again, how wonderful they are. Some 20 people joined in the training day with six signing up as volunteers and the others refreshing their coffee making skills or there to support the day. “We really need more volunteers as we only open three days a week, sometimes four, and it should be five days,” volunteer Waveney Ayscough told News Of The Area. “These beautiful souls provide a much-needed service to visitors, patients and staff while raising tens of thousands of dollars each year for Bellinger River District Hospital. “This financial year we donated $75,000 to the hospital for new medical equipment.” This money is raised almost exclusively through the café cuppas and yummy snacks as well as the sale of homemade pickles and crochet items. There’s also the Mary’s Tea House Christmas and Mother’s Day raffles. “The new volunteers were happy and definitely enthusiastic and keen to participate. “They are looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends. “Some said they loved cooking and looked forward to baking fresh goodies for the cafe. “Others were keen to become proficient in using the coffee machine,” Waveney said. “One lady said the hospital took such good care of her mum she wanted to show her appreciation by volunteering.” Training day attendees used the coffee machine to make themselves a coffee. Bellingen UHA President Deb Anderson ran through the requirements to become a volunteer. Speaking about what motivates her to keep giving of her time and effort to Bellinger River District Hospital, Waveney told NOTA, “For me, I decided to volunteer when they literally saved my little girl’s life one scary night. “It’s about giving back to those who help. “But it’s terribly hard to find volunteers and I encourage younger people to give back. “Thank you to everyone who signed on.” Many hands make light work, so if there are others in the community who would like to join the monthly roster, and have fun doing something worthwhile, email waveney46@hotmail.com. By Andrea FERRARI Deb Anderson, Bellingen UHA President, talks attendees through the volunteers’ fundraising focus. Bellingen Hospital and Pink Auxiliary’s Marg Bell, Allison Graham and June Andrews. Three ladies brushing up their brewing skills. Locals hear the duties they can sign up for at Mary’s Tea House café. The joy of being an L-learner volunteer is that new skills can be acquired.
