How this Upwey mums’ group fosters connection through food

They say it takes a village to raise a child.

So as a newcomer to the Hills, toddler in tow, I found myself craving community; missing the mum-friends I had left behind in the city.

Then I was introduced to the Mums’ Connection Space, and everything turned around.

Every other Friday, mums come together at the Upwey Baptist Community Church to bake cakes, prepare soups and cook a healthy and wholesome lunch to enjoy together (on the off weeks, there’s crafting instead).

The group sits under the banner of Foothills Community Care, and meals are mostly made from donated and rescued food, otherwise destined for landfill.

Women chat, chop, mix and season, or simply sip a coffee with a bub on their lap.

Kids gather in indoor or outdoor play spaces, supervised by trained (and endlessly patient) volunteers.

And at the end of the day, everyone is encouraged to take home fruits and veggies, snacks and leftovers, plus freezer-friendly sandwiches and soups.

Front and centre of it all is program co-ordinator Alice Garrick, who hands out name badges as she organises boxes of produce and donated clothing, often bouncing a baby on her hip.

“We have a really special, direct connection to people who might not put their hand up and ask for support,” Alice told the Eastern Melburnian.

The group provides meals, but it’s not necessarily about easing financial hardship or food insecurity. Rather, it’s about easing the mental load and freeing up time.

“That gift of a pre-prepared meal is something that nourishes your spirit,” said Alice.

“It’s the sort of thing that needs to be given to you, and then you realise what a difference it makes.”

This is a group of mothers, but is so much more than a mothers’ group. The primary goals are connection, sustenance, empowerment and wellbeing — filling bellies and filling cups.

“We can come together and co-create an environment to make sure no mum is left out,” Alice said.

“We can build a community for our kids and our families, and we can do it in a way that honours sustainability and connection and all those things we would like to see happen in our world.”

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Stephanie Palmer-Derrien