At Sunday’s community meeting we saw how our clever and creative community has been with a range of ideas that will ultimately support our campaign going forward. One idea that has captured the community’s attention is the Dandenong Ranges bid to win Jamie Oliver’s national competition for a Pop Up Kitchen? While this is not strictly a campaign action we would like the NMITDR page members to get behind this worthwhile project. It could be a real win for our hills community and it is something to say YES to!
A quick and simple way to give this initiative instant support is to sign the online petition and share it as a priority as the bid deadline closes in 4 days. You can find the petition link here
Jamie’s Ministry of Food program would provide 12 months of cooking classes and nutritional education to the community. The Ministry of Food wrote a letter of support for our campaign early on and Jamie Oliver himself tweeted his support. Let’s remind them we are still fighting and we need them here! Any potential local customers sure could use this program to learn about healthy eating and it is available for 12 yrs old and up.
The Obesity Policy Coalition wrote a letter of support citing our region has above average rates of obesity and overweight residents. Diabetes has risen by 180% in the last five years. All before McDonald’s open and starts marketing to our kids.
The group Dandenong Ranges Food Frontier has created a website where you can learn more about it. www.thehillskitchen.com
In just two weeks they have a long list of other supporters including:
11 local schools
The Obesity Policy Coalition
Tecoma Uniting Church
The Permaculture Institute
The Melbourne Farmers Market
Dr. Denis Gration (Belgrave) and Dr. Aldona Jones ( Monbulk)
Yarra Ranges Cr Samantha Dunn
State Labour MP James Merlino
Federal Liberal MP Jason Wood
If your organisation, business or service wants to write a support letter send it to:
hillskitchen@live.com
Let’s get Jamie Oliver to come to to The Dandenongs and tell McDonald’s to burgeroff!
