The Rotary Club donated their old food van to Shepparton Villages and it has since been refurbed, received the tick of approval and now operating each week day from 6.30 am until 1.30 pm selling food and drinks.

Shepparton Villages is using the food van as a fundraiser, serving the tradies on site at its new 120 bed, $34m development at Tarcoola.

“During peak times on this build, there will be upwards of 100 tradies working on this fabulous new two storey facility and we thought what better way to raise some money than to feed them!” Shepparton Villages CEO Kerri Rivett said.

Rotarians Clyde Young, David Groves and David Earle came down to inspect the new van and taste the goods!

“We used to run this van 20 years ago first at International Villages and then at Queens Gardens,” Clyde explained.

The idea back then grew out of food vans at markets in Queensland and the enterprising local Rotarians established the van as part of their Rotary Queens Garden markets.

“We had some good times working in this van,” David Groves said.
Past President David Earle explained the Queens Gardens markets of which the food van was a big part raised well over $1m over the course of 20 years.
“We stopped using this old girl in 2016 and moved to a barbecue trailer as the van was getting a bit cumbersome to tow around.

“We are just so thrilled to see it up and running and serving a purpose to help Shepparton Villages out,” Mr Earle said.

The food van is open to the public – already residents and staff at Shepparton Villages have enjoyed cappuccinos, chips and gravy, hot pies and pasties, salad rolls, cakes and others goodies, while the tradies on site at the new build have loved an egg and bacon roll first thing in the morning.
The van is operated by a Shepparton Villages catering employee and will be supplemented by volunteers during busy times.

All profit made will go back in to the new $34m building to help refurbish it and make it home for the 120 residents who will live there.

CEO Kerri Rivett said the food van, accessible via Maculata Drv, will operate until the new building is completed in mid 2018 and will then be moved to the next big project site for Shepparton Villages at Rodney Park n Mooroopna.

“We’ve got big plans long term, and the van will be a wonderful fundraiser and community project over the next few years,” she explained.

Students form Berry Street School have been helping paint the van.
The food van is open to all members of the public and those wanting to purchase are encouraged to wander in via Maculata Drive between 6. 30 am and 1.30 pm each week day.