Call to care, donate food for Christmas appeal

Published 8:03am 16 October 2025

Words by Kylie Knight

Photo: The Breakfast Club Redcliffe’s Helen Bambling, The Salvation Army Redcliffe’s Major Dean Clutterbuck, The Redcliffe Uniting Church’s Reverend Tim Griggs and The Breakfast Club Redcliffe’s Chairperson Michelle Gilchrist.

Donations of food, money and time are needed as the Redcliffe Community Care Network braces for a surge in demand in the lead-up to Christmas.

The network has launched its 2025 Community Christmas Appeal and anticipates it will hand out more than 600 hampers this year.

The Breakfast Club Redcliffe Chairperson Michelle Gilchrist says there has been an increase in demand for breakfast meals, with 77 people served in just one morning last week.

“We are hoping to get as many donations as we can possibly get. Last year, we did 600 boxes and I assume we’re going to get a few more (requests) this year,” Michelle says.

“We’re going to need as much help as possible. We know times are difficult, we know people are struggling but we really need donations big and small,” Michelle says.

“We need some of these bigger organisations to get in behind us with either monetary donations or donations of the things we require.

“It’s not the time for a pantry clean-out. This is not what this is about. This is about giving people the food to get them through Christmas. A lot of the services close, so there’s not the availability of getting food hampers or vouchers (at that time).”

Hampers will be available for people on the Redcliffe Peninsula, including Rothwell. Other organisations will assist people in the Deception Bay area.

Those wanting to receive a hamper will need to register via Eventbrite from November 12, as they did last year.

Volunteers will be needed to help pack hampers at Clontarf, to transport them to The Salvation Army building at Ashmole Rd, and to hand them out from the venue.

People can register to help pack hampers from November 19. Keep an eye on the Redcliffe Community Care Network Facebook page for details.

The Salvation Army Redcliffe’s Major Dean Clutterbuck says The Salvation Army will co-ordinate distribution of toys to children, aged 0-16 years, in the lead-up to Christmas.

Sourcing enough presents for children in their teens is always challenging.

Dean says The Salvation Army often tells people to allow older grandchildren to buy the gift to give.

“They often know what their peers would like. It’s also passing on that legacy to that generation of considering others in our community. As they get older, they will continue that legacy,” he says.

Vouchers are also a good option.

The Redcliffe Community Care Network is calling on people to volunteer to hand out hampers from The Salvation Army centre at Ashmole Rd.

“We know last year ... we had a beautiful couple of days and that wasn’t just for us, the people that were managing it, it was also for the community members. We want that to continue,” Dean says.

“We want it to be a blessing for them (those in need) for Christmas ... they’re seen, they’re noticed and they’re actually cared for.”