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Compassion Centre - The Soup Kitchen 2011
Compassion Centre feast celebrates MatarikiA Matariki feast, provided by the Suzanne Aubert CompassionCentre, proved popular with those who rely on the ‘soup kitchen’ for a hot meal each day. The celebratory feast, held at the Aro Street community hall on Wednesday June 8, was a change from the usual meals dished out six nights a week at the Centre’s Tory Street site. The Aro Valley community have been very supportive of the event. “The soup kitchen guests enjoy the opportunity to have the function off-site in the community hall, it makes it more special,” says Philippa Meachen, manager of the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre. “Te Puni Kokori and Te Papa have done alot to promote Matariki as a winter festival and we like to mark it with our community here.” “It’s great to have something fun to celebrate in the middle of winter, something that is particular to Aotearoa / New Zealand, ” Ms Meachen says. Volunteer on the day, Trevor Paul, says the dinner was a welcome change from the meals at the soup kitchen in Tory Street, and he appreciated the chance to celebrate Matariki.  “It’s good because it’s got a meaning,” he says. The 120 guests were treated to the sit-down hangi-style meal of chicken, pork, lamb and vegetables. This was followed by ice-cream, jelly and cake, and accompanied by acoustic entertainment from some of the diners. By Grant Ellen |
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