Granville Town Hall will be the bustling new launch point for hundreds of OzHarvest hampers supporting residents in need each week.
We offered our iconic heritage-listed venue for free, which has just seen an external refurbishment.
Mayor Steve Christou said: “Our work with OzHarvest is something we’re really proud of during this lockdown, and we’re glad we can offer Granville Town Hall as another distribution point. It’s the perfect community icon to reflect the sentiment and the timing is perfect considering we’ve just completed restoration works.
OzHarvest supply food hampers to the Auburn Depot which council staff deliver for free each week alongside personnel from the police and defence force. They’ll be welcoming walk-ins at Granville Town Hall for those who live within the local area.
“The hampers are a mix of dry goods, like rice, long life milk, canned items, and fresh produce, including eggs. It is enough to help feed two people a meal a day for a week. Resilience NSW will supply wipes, face masks and hand sanitiser in each hamper,” said Mayor Christou.
“Families in the area have been doing it tough. With the shutdown of businesses, there have been many families who have no household income, but still have to pay bills. We have been receiving many messages from people who are grateful for the support; they’re letting us know that it’s making a difference for their families. When we look back at this time, that’s what we want to remember.
Project Lead from OzHarvest, Shannon Richardson, said the demand has surged over the last few weeks with the organisation supporting hundreds of families a week with emergency food relief hampers.
“We are so grateful for the ongoing support from Cumberland Council who are providing a new location for our Granville Hamper Hub. The larger space will help us meet the increasing demand as we support around 800 families a week and keep the community safe.“
The hub will run from the Granville Town Hall every Thursday, 11am to 2pm.
We’ll be delivering hampers every week until lockdown is lifted. If you know someone in need or if you have something to offer, visit https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/covid-19-community-support-exchange
Granville Town Hall’s $550,000 refresh has breathed new life into a cherished historical monument. The heritage listed site was restored to its former glory after delicate and carefully planned works. The external refurbishment includes stormwater and drainage structural repairs to the building and painting. Oz Harvest has used the Hall for food distribution during lockdown.
It’s a rare and intact example of a Victorian Free Classical government building. It is thought to be one of only two intact nineteenth-century council chamber buildings in Sydney's west. Built in 1888 following the incorporation of Granville in 1885, it is an important symbol of the growth of Granville and its sense of identity.
