Riverside has embarked on an exciting new venture – creating a Community Garden amongst the tranquil setting alongside the North Para River. With the assistance of a government grant and 15-20 willing helpers, we are growing vegetables and herbs which is already producing a regular harvest for our commercial kitchen.

Our aim broadly is to grow food which can be used by Nicole and the kitchen team in their menus and meal packs they create. In addition to being productive growing space, we also ensure our Community Garden is a great place for people to connect. So, we have named our garden ‘Purruna’, which in Kaurna language means Life Giving and Wellbeing. This perfectly represents what we want our Community Garden to be.

The vision we have for our Community Garden at Riverside is 4-fold:

· A safe place where people can come and find peace and restoration. A place of calm and nurture and listening. God does some of His finest work with us in a garden.

· Inclusive of everyone, with a particular focus towards those who are vulnerable, homeless or doing it tough, standing alongside them as they help grow the vegetables and watching them benefit from the proceeds of the harvest through the food that the kitchen produces. Helping in the beginning and sharing in the spoils at the end.

We are also keen to involve local Aboriginal groups and invite Elders to share with us their knowledge in growing and using bush foods, such as Warrigal Greens, Finger Limes, Bush Tomatoes and native berries.

· Successful harvesting, where we grow lots of great produce for our fantastic kitchen team to use in creating even fresher, more healthy meals.

· Environmentally aware, by using only organic gardening methods to grow the healthiest produce and to use the most water-efficient methods of irrigation.

So…if this Community Garden concept is something that piques your interest, even a little bit, we’d love to hear from you. You can contact Josh on 0468 394 569 or Rick on 0417 832 502, who will be able to answer any questions you may have and point you in the right direction.

We’d love to hear from you

The Hope Cup is a charity cricket match always played between the Riverside All-Stars and the Gawler Police. The All-Stars are an invitational team made up of local businesspeople and community influencers who have a heart to raise funds for those doing it tough in our region.

The Hope Cup 2024 cricket match will be on Sunday 17th November starting at 10am. It is played at the Sandy Creek Cricket Club at Curdnatta Park SA 5350. This is on the Corner of Davies Road and Williamstown Road.

The money is spent directly in our community to run projects that support those living on the streets or who are the risk of homelessness. This has included the installation of 16 'Lockers for Life' at Riverside Salvos, breakfasts, hot showers and hot meals available everyday 365 days a year for those rough sleeping. Clothing, street survival kits, emergency medical needs and also support into accommodation, work and rehab.

Click here to visit the official Hope Cup website.

MORE THAN A GYM, GET YOUR LIFE FIT

Riverside Gym started in late 2021 by Josh Sanders as a way of connecting vulnerable individuals to community. The gym has expanded to having another qualified gym instructor, with multiple groups throughout the week. The fitness component runs for 30-60 minutes followed by small group discussion or mentoring. Riverside gym works with different age groups, different life situations and has an intergenerational approach to supporting people.

Training varies from group to group, and person to person. Some individual clients work on strength, others balance, and the list goes on. For group sessions, there is a focus on everyone supporting each other - 'no comparisons'.

Small groups are a great way for all of us to learn. When someone else shares similar experiences, it affirms something within ourselves.

We hear that other people struggle, other people have had hardship and other people know what it is like to go through the ups and downs of life. Small groups are not only an opportunity for individuals to learn from a collective group of people, but it is also a place for people to have a voice and share their knowledge and skills. These groups also act as a place for accountability. These sessions challenge people to grow, while supporting each other on their journey.

Some of our clients have social anxiety, some have a disability, and others have suffered traumatic experiences. While we believe in the power of small groups, there are also clients who benefit from individual sessions. These sessions focus on fitness that matches the client’s goals and mentoring sessions that build the life skills and social skills for a flourishing life.

Qualified Personal Trainers:

Josh Sanders and Christian McCann.

Contact Details:

0468 394 569 & josh.sanders@salvationarmy.org.au

Location:

17 Edith Street, Gawler East, SA 5118.