It is not common to start an interview with hugs from strangers. Walking into the Methodist City Action's Brain Gym, that is exactly what happened. The class is for building confidence and coordination for people with higher needs. Full of colour, the simple yet creative class was a good way to introduce what Methodist City Action (MCA) do.
Delicious smells wafted from Community Kitchen - a six month cooking class for those with a lower level of needs. On that particular day there was a variety of food being made: feta muffins, chocolate chip muffins, and vegetable soup. It was impossible to walk out without a smile, and good food! The aim of the class is to teach meals that can be cooked in a flatting or assisted living situation, giving participants more independence.
The practical class starts in a class room where recipes are taught along with the basics of cooking and what items to purchase for a pantry and how to provide a meal for people coming to visit. Cooking books, which are donated, are able to be taken out of the 'library' to assist learning.
MCA also provide one community meal a week, and have noticed numbers have been slower to rise this year, normally reaching between 50 and 60 around Easter, they are only now climbing up to the 60s. They rely on donations of time from the volunteers who prepare the meals, with a mixed menu including Korean stir fries, mince with pasta and coleslaw, fish cakes, and fruit salad. Both the Tzu Chi foundation and Te Rununga o Kirikiriroa provide and prepare a meal once a month, with the Tzu Chi foundation's being vegetarian. People from all walks of life come in for meals, Director Catherine Hodges says. There is a retired nurse who also attends meals to offer advice, and does accompany people to the GP if need be. They have also had people from WINZ and other organisations to speak briefly and are available on site during dinner and just after the meal to talk with individuals or answer queries.
"We receive a number of food donations, from the Methodist Parish, Foodbanks, individuals and other groups in the community. We have also had meat being donated or a cash donation to cover the cost of the meat portion of the Community Meals," Catherine says.
A donation of a dollar is asked for each community meal, something Catherine says is a way to get people to help themselves, and says one of the "cool" parts of the classes are the people who attend them. "What is really cool is people [who come to classes] are really honest."
This year the trust received a $3083 grant from the Wellbeing Fund which the Hamilton City Council opperates, for their art and craft class.
In adition to the Brain Gym and Community Kitchen, MCA hold African druming, indoor sports, art and craft, and life skills. Each class costs around $5, but the more participants the cheaper they are able to make it.
Showers are available for free before 12.30am if someone is in need, but not as a regular provision due to laundry and cost.
"We are grateful to the generosity of a range of philanthropic organisations who support us, and particularly those that give us a little flexibility with how we spend operating costs. I have a board of trustees to whom I am accountable, and Methodist City Action are also accountable to each of our funders, providing them a copy of our annual audit.
Catherine says there is a supportive relationship between a vast range of community organisations in Hamilton. "We are all very good at sharing things that aren't of use to us, but may be useful to some other agency.
"We are also good at rehoming goods into the community. There has been a number of families that have benefited from surplus furniture, clothing, old goods that are no longer of use to us, that are very useful to others."
To enrol in a class people can make enquires at the MCA counter, at their London Street location, call, or email - but some classes do have limited numbers.
People are welcome to have a look and try before committing to join the class.
- Sacha Harwood