WITH this being Homelessness Week, Hamilton Salvation Army community development worker, Mark Thomas, was in his element on Wednesday, helping to host an upscaled version of their normal weekly community lunch.

Wheeling out and firing up the barbecue behind their new emergency trailer, he said it was great to raise awareness about a serious problem in a such a practical way.

“It’s not a barbecue every Wednesday, but it’s a sit-down meal or take away,” Mr Thomas said.

“We’ve got some support from (the) Salvation Army.”

In Australia there are over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, and the week aims to raise awareness of the impact of homelessness in Australia via national and local community events.

The theme for Homelessness Week 2022 is: ‘To end homelessness we need a plan’.

He was also pleased to get a chance to try out the trailer, which will be used for helping feed people during area emergencies.

“We can go and we’ve got lighting, we’ve got barbecues and we can cook food for (fire crews) or all that sort of stuff,” Mr Thomas said.

“We’ve got volunteers that man it and make tea and coffee and sausages.”

He said it wasn’t intended to act as a full supply solution for catering in emergencies, but a way of looking after the community quickly until their larger service truck from Ballarat could arrive.

“This is like a first response for it,” Mr Thomas said.

“(Their) trucks (are) fully decked-out, but it just takes them six hours by the time they get sorted and get out here.”

He said the reaction from organisations such as the Country Fire Authority had been very positive.

“They’re quite happy about it,” Mr Thomas said.