A group of aged care residents in Brisbane’s northside have found it pays to be ‘green’.
At Wesley Mission Queensland’s Parkview community, resident Barry Norton’s passion for the environment became the catalyst for raising money for COVID lockdown projects, including buying an ice-cream bike to deliver the delicious cold delights to residents.
A dedicated recycler, Norton began collecting bottles in 2019 and was an early convert to the Containers for Change program, bringing in thousands of dollars for his home in the process.
Soon, his fellow residents joined him collecting bottles and cans that could be exchanged for cash. So far, they have raised more than $9000.
Residents worked with the Parkview bus driver and staff to establish a routine for collection and delivery to the recycling depot.
Norton was presented with an Environmental Champion Award by Wesley Mission Queensland to recognise his work, but as his health began to deteriorate recently, he passed the baton to fellow Parkview resident, Harry Farquharson (pictured above).
Farquharson meets Parkview Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator Kay Scott several times a week at 7am to collect the bottles from all around the building.
Scott said it was wonderful to see the residents getting behind the project to work to a common goal.
“We try to encourage and expand on all our resident’s interests. It’s so important they continue to be engaged in activities that really mean something to them,” she said.
“It is really a wonderful example of our philosophy of care in action and helps overcome some of the challenges our residents face – loneliness, helplessness and boredom.”
The funds have contributed to numerous projects for the residents, including the ice cream bike – which visits residents once a week – and improving garden beds around the home.
