QCWA Annual Report 2018-2019

Annual Report 2018–2019 • The Queensland Country Women’s Association

COUNTRY KITCHENS REPORT Fiona McKenzie The QCWA Country Kitchens (CK) Program continues to excel and the Queensland Government has approved a fifth year of funding, totalling $4.35 million. Our 2018–19 year began with the appointment of three exceptional volunteers representing each of the three regions within the association. The Health Promotion Team Leaders (qualified dietitians or nutritionists) continued to develop the capacity of the QCWA to lead communities toward better health. The CK program has engaged 84% of the Association: some 202 branches with 185 trained Country Kitchens Branch Facilitators. Collectively, these facilitators have contributed more than 5,000 volunteer hours in the pursuit of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption by Queenslanders. The program is the first and only one of its kind to engage a network of women volunteers to build capacity within their local communities. QCWA branch halls provide the ideal venue for a community kitchen classroom, affording rural, remote and regional citizens the opportunity to learn food literacy from experienced cooks and passionate foodies.

Throughout 2018-19, 15,000 Queenslanders participated in a Country Kitchens activity, a significant achievement by a not-for-profit organisation! The program has established partnerships with a range of community, private and government organisations, each adding value to both QCWA and the health promotion initiatives led by the CK Branch Facilitators. We celebrate the QCWA for “connecting women who have the power to heal their communities.”

COUNTRY KITCHENS

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