TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE"

"The days when we hung out the washing for our neighbours when they had a baby are truly behind us, few are having babies less are hanging out washing and even less know their neighbours, this leaves many isolated and at times hungry, building community is vital for us all and it's our shared responsibility.”

These words are the words written in Our Big Kitchen's article (P18). Our Big Kitchen, is a charity that brings community members together in a big purpose-built kitchen in Flood St, Bondi. There they volunteer their spare time to prepare and cook meals for the homeless, lonely and hungry. Meals that are in turn, delivered by volunteers. It seems these volu nteers are making a big sacrifice and would be keen for their chores to come to an end. But it’s quite the opposite, they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, and return time after time to chat with each other and work together to prepare food for the needy.

Are these people unusual in some way, or is there something about preparing food and helping others that is special?

Just take a look at their bea mi ng faces on (P15) which will give you a clue, because they are doing exactly the same thing and seem to be enjoying themselves just as much. So just what’s going on?

One answer g oes back to over 300,000 years ago, when climate change forced our ancestors to come down from the trees and become hunter gatherers. To survive they learned to help each other and helping each other rewarded them with endorphins and more food to eat. Much more than if they just acted selfishly.

In his book Blueprint, Sociologist Nicholas Christakos says that humans are hard-wired to feel happy when they are being helpful. He says, in fact, that there are no human societies in which you do not find friendship, love, cooperation and teaching.

Collaboration, it seems, is an instinctive part of our make up, but 21st Century living makes it more difficult. Social media has shortened our attention span and high rise living and high mobility has tended to isolate people.

All of this has made community building more difficult. But it still exists in charities where there is common commitment to a cause. So we are delighted be able to bring you news of other local charities and community groups, in addition to the two already mentioned.

They include; St Mar k’s Church (P6), Double Bay Bowling Club (P8), Black & White Committee (P9), Randwick Art Society (P13), Maroubra Combined Probus (P15), Ways Youth and Family (P19) and Holdsworth House (P19).

And of course, we must make mention of NSW Ports Community Grants Program, which helps support multiple causes in and around Botany, including Sydney Childrens’ Hospital Foundation, South Sydney Mount Carmel Junior Cricket Club and Maroubra ‘Lions’ Rugby League Football Club to upgrade their grounds and equipment (P1 & P11).

For our part we are launching a new Eastern Suburbs Collaborative Network that has the potential to allow multiple Eastern Suburbs Charities, Businesses, Social Groups, Sports Clubs, Community Groups, Not-for-Profits, Councils and schools to work together collaboratively, even when they can’t meet in person. Brief details can be found on (P15) and we will keep you posted on developments in later editions of the paper.

We extend a big thank you to our advertisers: The Bolted Post, NSW Ports, MedX Systems, Woollahra Council, Cooper Park Garage, Edgecliff Hearing, Hoyts Cinemas, Snap (Green) Printing, Host A Murder, Rooftop Services, Edgecliff Automotive, Pure Plumbing, Doug Briscoe Cars and Sydney Deck Sealing. Without them there would be no paper in which to share news about our local charities and events. As the old “ TEAM” acronym goes ' TOGETHER E VERYONE ACHIEVES MORE ".

Lastly we extend a big than k you to all our staff, our printers, the people who deliver the papers to us and the increasing number of volunteers who help distribute the papers throughout the Eastern Suburbs.

Thank you again, it seems collaboration is still alive and well in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.

Bondi BUZZ

INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY PARKLETS IN BONDI P16

WHAT'S ON BONDI P17

BIZ FINDER AND LOCATOR MAP P21

COUNCILS NEWS & MARJORIE O'NEILL, MP Member for Coogee P22

EASTERN SUBURBS MIGHTY NETWORK DIRECTORY P23

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