Baking for a cause: New Plymouth rest homes support free drop-in cafe

Radius Thornleigh Park residents Christine Reed and Ngaire Barry help with bake delicious treats for the cafe. Photo / Alyssa Smith

The cabinets at On The House’s free drop-in cafe are stocked with delicious baked goods thanks to two New Plymouth resthomes.

Radius Thornleigh Park and Radius Heatherlea care homes have partnered with charity On The House to support the Over 65′s Free cafe, which runs every fortnight at the New Plymouth Methodist Church.

Each week, Radius Thornleigh Park and Radius Heatherlea residents and staff bake brownies, cupcakes, and biscuits for the cafe, using ingredients supplied by On The House.

They deliver them to the cafe each week and Radius Thornleigh Park resident Lisa Rowlands loves dropping off the baked goods.

“I love baking very much and I also love going to the cafe to meet new people and get out and about in the community.”

Radius Thornleigh Park resident Lisa Rowlands ices some biscuits for the free drop-in cafe. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Ngaire Barry said the initiative was a way they can give back to the community.

“We all help to cook and ice the baking. It’s a good thing we can do.”

For Christine Reed, the partnership has helped her reconnect with old friends.

“I was at the cafe and I saw my old neighbour and stopped for a cup of tea.”

Radius diversional therapist Helen Baverstock said as well as giving back, the initiative keeps residents involved in the community.

“We are excited to be involved with this On The House initiative. It provides our residents at Radius Thornleigh Park and Radius Heatherlea with something meaningful to do and maintain connectivity with the community.

“When residents get up in the morning and know they have a purpose, it brings many beneficial spinoffs, including proven improvements in physical and mental health.”

The residents also support Bellyful, Plunket, and Gabby’s Starlit Hope and conduct their own random acts of kindness.

“We’ve done random acts of kindness for the fire brigade, shopping centres and hospitals. On a hot day, we’ll hand out cold water, give people candy canes around Christmas and create activity packs for the hospital. We also create biscuits to deliver to retirement villages.”

Baverstock said giving back was important.

“People come to a rest home to live and we help facilitate to keep them active. The community service is one of the ways we do that.”