Gidget Foundation Lunch

Shore Students Volunteering

J.A. Collier

On Friday 5 May, Year 12 boys from Burns House and many members of the Prefect body of the school volunteered at the Gidget Foundation lunch at the ICC Ballroom in the city. The foundation was set up by members, such as Jarrod and Libby Bowditch (parents of Charlie in Year 12), to support vulnerable expectant and new parents that suffer from postnatal depression and to provide them with help in times of need. The charity has been running for over 20 years and has helped and saved thousands of people through tough times. 

This particular event we attended was the women’s lunch which brought out an amazing crowd with many Shore mums in attendance. The theme for the day was a “London Street Party” to tie in with the coronation and brought out many colourful outfits. Mr Blood and the boys all travelled to the venue together and then got straight into helping set up the event and get it ready for the large numbers of guests that would arrive shortly. The lunch was an incredible experience as it involved guest speakers such as Mundanara Bayles and Stephanie Trethewey, while Belinda Russell was also the MC for the day. The lunch also showed many videos of survivors of postnatal depression and the ways that The Gidget Foundation had helped them to get through their tough times, which made our service on the day feel all the more important. 

On the day, we were tasked with the job of selling gifts and raffle tickets to the various tables and guests in attendance. This was a key task as all the funds raised would be donated straight to the charity, which meant that all the money collected would go into helping people who are suffering. We managed to raise large amounts for the charity and also got an insight into the work that the Gidget Foundation does. 

Overall, the day was a humbling experience, and we were proud to represent our school and be part of the strong tradition of service to support those vulnerable members of the community. The boys all thoroughly enjoyed the day, and I hope that the Year 12 cohort of next year are able to attend the lunch once again.