Meeting HRH The Queen

What I wore.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?

I've been down to Southbank to visit the Queen.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?

I shook her hand with a flower in my hair!

What a day!

When I received the official invitation a few weeks back, I was more than a little surprised.

The children’s brains were full of questions:
“What will you say?”
“What will you wear?”
“Do you get to touch her”

But my favorite one was this little convo:
Son 1 “Mum, is the Queen the old biddy one or the young hot one?”
Me “The older one.”
Son 2 “Which one is the one with the butt?”
Boys!

So the boys had the day off school, my daughter was more than happy to go to school. Which resulted in tears all evening when she heard us retelling the story.

So, my day was a busy one as Premier’s Office had put me forward as an official contact for media.

Up at 4:30am to be ready for Today Show live cross with Alison Ariotti, who is so sweet and fun to be with. Over the past nearly 11 months we have become friends and baking advice is being thrown around on twitter between a few of us, including Mel Kettle of the blog The Cook’s Notebook. I saw photos on facebook back in December 2010 of the reporting work Alison did on the flooding in Bundaberg and Rockhampton. I know these reporters and the camera crews work very hard away from their families when there is work to be done. It looks all glam, but there are long emotional days and nights behind those smiles. She hasn't stopped since then I think, well except to get married and begin wifely duties of baking this year ;)

Alison and me. What a sensational spring morning! And look, we match!

Then to breakfast at Lure on Latrobe. The Vego Big Start is the best! Then home to rest my back (I had a fall a few weeks back and still recovering but that’s another story)

Time to get ready, throw on the dress and accessories and off to Parliament House after the boys and I packed some home made brownies, lemon muffins and sandwiches along with their board shorts to have a swim after they had stood in the sun for hours waiting for the Queen.

After being dropped at Parliament house I met up with Alison again for the run down on my outfit and then off for security checks and a cold drink. By coach under police esort the group made their way to QPAC where the Queen was to be welcomed from the boat.

The crowd was huge, but this was as close as we got.

You may remember John and Kathy Mahon which I have written about before, their video story of being rescued from their roof can be seen HERE

I knew they were attending also and it was fantastic to catch up with them along with many other families and groups which Baked Relief helped during the year.

John and Kath Mahon at the cloak room where we handed over everything including phones!

It was a fantastic experience meeting the Queen and the Duke. I can not believe their ages and how great they looked! I couldn’t even stand up for as long as they did during their visit to Brisbane without needing a rest. She looked lovely and Premier Anna Bligh did an outstanding job of introducing people to the Queen and Minister Strutters to the Duke. (no photos of this as we had nothing on us!)

After the event, a catch up with Alison for a Royal debrief, meet up with my boys and I was ready to go home and put my feet up.My boys wanted to constantly touch my hand which the Royals had touched.

It was a highly emotional day and one I will never forget.

What was my favorite part?

With tears in my eyes that night I shared with my man: seeing the joy and excitement on the faces of those who had lost so much and even lost their loved ones was the most wonderful experience to share with them. Their happiness was contagious.

Say what you will about the Monarch, but those families who stood there on Monday will remember that day for the rest of their lives. Hopefully that can take a touch of the sting away from the pain they have been through in 2011.

Click HERE to go to the Today Show video and see the cutest couple from Fernvale who were very badly affected and how Lynette with the help of friends and neighbours put her outfit together. They were so lovely. When her husband John was asked what his favorite part of the day was he said "Seeing how happy my wife was." That made me cry.

Im stealing it back!

Now that the website is totally up and running, I am stealing my blog back!

This will be the more personal journey of my Baked Relief travels, saving the website for the strategy and planning and direction.

I need somewhere to document my feelings and the other things which are happening in my life, as my blog did previously.

So there you go! What a ride it has been and its great to have so many people supporting my cause.

Now, so much of the things just 'happen' because of a wonderful team of volunteers which work together to achieve much more than I could have as one person.

I have met so many people during this time, and the hearing the stories of survival in Grantham will stay with me forever. These people could have easily died. I didn't understand until I got there and saw the destruction. And the comment from one survivor "If the water came while we were sleeping, we would have all died" and the little boy who said to stop from downing, "I just held onto the thing in the shower where the water comes out" (he meant the shower rose)  That really shook me up.

These people are the inspirations in this story. They are the heros. It is my job to make them feel that.

So see the blog if you would like to know more about the ins and outs of Baked Relief, which I am continuing to work on full time (leave from work) for another month. I am so pleased about that, so much to be done, but a good chunck of time to do it.

On Australia Day at Suncorp Stadum. We had such a great morning together!

At this very moment I remember feeling this HUGE burst of pride to be Australian.

To be able to spread my message on the Today Show as part of the Australia Day celebrations is a huge highlight for me.

From that interview Baked Relief received enough money to provide another 25 Essentials Boxes to families!

The Current Direction - This week.

In terms of food NOW, the message we are getting from the people at Goodna and Ipswich for tomorrow and future days/weeks is that they need:

• meals in single portion serves (such as plastic disposable containers) that can be eaten cold or warm (such as quiche, rice dishes, pasta dishes, etc)
• fresh fruit and vegetables
• drinks - water, poppers for kids, soft drink (Coke is especially popular), small containers of UHT milk for tea/coffee
• preferably no more cakes or sweet foods

Someone donated 200 small gas cookers which is GREAT but there is now a need for basic kitchen stuff.

DO NOT send something you wouldn't be happy to have yourself. So many times I am going into this evacuation and community centers and its like someone has just cleaned out all the junk they don't want, some broken too and just taken it there thinking they are doing the right thing. Some of these people have lost everything, but the one thing they haven't lost is their pride and we don't want to damage that.

A list of things needed includes:

• Pots, pans, cooking utensils
• Crockery and cutlery (even picnic or plastic at the moment is fine

Other things desperately needed are:

• towels 
• sheets
• pillows (new)
• new kids underwear
• rubber gloves
• toiletries - shampoo/conditioner/toothpaste/toothbrushes/sanitary products
• toilet paper
• wet wipes/hand sanitised
• cleaning products including white vinegar and 3-5 litre spray bottles (so that bleach can be sprayed on walls to prevent mould)
• surgical masks (for when bleach is being sprayed)

Tomorrow there will be someone at Ballymore between 11am and 6pm daily to accept food and the other items mentioned. There will also be someone collecting these items and shuttling them out to Goodna/Ipswich every day this week, but at times to be advised each day.

Food and these items can also be delivered to Wayne Swans office before 11am every day (excluding today - Monday, as they are heading up to Helidon for the Morning Tea at 7am) He has people bringing things to Ballymore.
 
Feeding Lockyer
 
The Lockyer Feed-A-Thon will kick into full scale planning from tomorrow and with the offer of commercial kitchens around Brisbane we will be ready to engage people to cook, and get these meals sorted and out to families. These things take time, we cant do everything at once. It is important that we have a plan in place for these families LONG TERM. At the moment they are doing good, they are in the Evacuation Centers, they are being fed and clothed. It is when they get back into their homes, or into rentals, or if they continue to live with other people - THATS when we want to help.  We are going to provide ongoing meals to them (weekly basis at this stage) so they can have one night off a week to relax and 'chill out'. There aren't take away stores in these towns, so we will not be taking any business away from the community, if anything we will be putting something back by purchasing as much as we can in the region ongoing.
 
It has been a HUGE 14 days for me and I am sure many of you feel the same. The emotional and physical drain which I have had is unlike anything else, and I am extremely lucky. The strenght of the families which have been flood affected needs to be supported.
 
With your wonderful help and support, Baked Relief is doing everything we can!

 

Helidon Morning Tea

Tomorrow morning at 10am we are hosting a morning tea in Helidon for all those affected by the flood!

Joining with Floodaid and Sunny Mummy we are showcasing the best support we can possibly give.

With beautiful smooth coffee provided by Vanilla Pod's Mobile Van, Baked Relief from all the wonderful (best of the best) home bakers in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, pamper packs for every mum from Sunny Mummy, support from Floodaid, cheer from Treasurer Wayne Swan's office, and John Reyment from Rement Photos recording the day for everyone, we are set like jelly!

It is really our aim to treat these families, the volunteers, the police and the local businesses to a nice morning tea and show them how much we care about them and all that they have endured, provided and achieved over the past two weeks.

This is also when we will be officially launching the Lockyer Feed-a-thon.

So if you can make it to Helidon (allow 1h 45mins from Brisbane) along the Gatton Bypass for 10am tomorrow morning we would really love to see you there.

If you need help, please connect with Floodaid for assistance.

"Connecting those in need wtih those who can help"

http://www.floodaid.com.au/

Sunny Mummy

http://www.sunnymummy.com.au/

Vanilla Pod

http://www.vanillapod.com.au/

John Reyment

See some of his wonderful Baked Relief Photos: http://reymentphoto.com.au/blog/?p=3285

Baked Relief is going to ROCK Helidon tomorrow!

Helping Helidon

Yesterday (Friday) I met with the ladies volunteering at the Helidon Community Hall. They have been working so hard looking after all the evacuees, setting up Internet cafes, arranging clothes, food and general support. They looked tired, like many of us are getting.

We sat and talked through what has been happening over the past couple of weeks and I offered the help of Baked Relief. These ladies have been doing an amazing job and I wanted to help them out as much as I could.

Helidon Community Morning Tea - Monday 24 Jan

I also wanted to talk to them about hosting a community morning tea for all the volunteers and local emergency services and of course those which have been flood affected. When I told them we were looking to bring Baked Relief (cakes etc) the amazing Stacey of Sunny Mummy who has been working with her team to pull together the most beautiful pamper packs for each  mum! How cool is that? These will be rolling out all over South East Queensland over the coming weeks.

Also, the wonderful Floodaid who will be there to explain how they can assist getting these towns back on track with any help they may need. Treasurer Wayne Swan will be in very important meetings and is unable to attend, but is sending some wonderful people from his office to provide shade and goods to help as well. SO MUCH HELP!

So if you are looking to do some Baked Relief support on Monday, you should head out to Helidon (take the Gatton Bypass towards Toowoomba) and come and join us opposite the Community Hall in Arthur Street, Helidon.

Baked Relief Supports the Community Center

There are lots of local growers supporting them with fruit and veg, and companies supplying cold rooms; they have heaps of wonderful support. But they hadn't had any fresh bread at all, it had all been a couple of days old. Cold meats would be welcomed too as they had heaps of meat pies, but would be nice for some varity

So within 30 minutes Baked Relief had driven to Schulte's Meat Tavern at Plainlands and purchased:

• 10 loaves of fresh bread (Two fruit toast)
• 4 kg of smoked ham
• 2 kg of silverside
• 1 kg of salami
• A few bottles of mustard and pickles.

It is really important to me to support each region we go into, so rather than try and arrange donations from Brisbane or large corporates at this stage, I have been focusing on spending money in the region and supporting local business as much as we can. 

A Country Picnic

I know there is a lot to take in for one blog post, but another range of events I am committed to organise is something I will call for the moment, A Country Picnic where (down the track) we will choose a town, pick a date, bake up a storm and head with our families to these little towns to support them. We will get together as a Baked Relief team and commit to spend at least $10 each family in these small towns and then blog about our wonderful experience. Part of this idea came from a resident of Esk by the name of Deborah Hoare who quotes "if you really want to help this region, when things are back to normal bring your picnic basket and spend some money in the valley". To that I say "GREAT IDEA!"

Some of the devastation at Murphy's Creek. It truly is a war zone. The power of water!

But the army and locals are working hard to get everything cleaned up.

P.S. If you have something to offer or if you have a need, please go to http://www.floodaid.com.au/ and register. Do not underestimate the power of this resource!

Baked Relief in Lockyer Valley + My Boys

SEE WEBSITE www.bakedrelief.org

Updated daily with locations and more information.

Last night I reached the Lockyer Valley with home cooked meals to distribute and begin the 'on the ground' strategy about how the Lockyer Feed-a-thon will be coordinated.

IT WAS FANTASTIC TO HUG THE BOYS - then they went to sleep after a big day running around on the farm.

This morning I am meeting with some key people around here as well as mothers in crisis to talk about their needs and provide solutions for ongoing support through Baked Relief and Floodaid.

I am glad that I arrived after dark because the vision of the devastation was restricted to the reaching of my headlights. This was a smart thing. As the sun rises this morning I am getting ready to face it though.

What matters most is that everyone on this farm is safe and was spared the worst of it. I will meet with other families today who have no possessions left.

Baked Relief is going to do great things here, I can feel it!

The Roads Ahead

SEE WEBSITE www.bakedrelief.org

We are trending in the top 5 tweets in Australia.

This blog has had more than 8,000 hits in a week.

The new website www.bakedrelief.org had 2,237 hits on the first day.

Monday was a tough day. I will break it down.
I personally provided food for:

Alderley Police Station which is looking after the Looting Taskforce - LOADS of beautiful cakes provided by Jocelyns Provisions in New Farm who gave to Baked Relief. We are providing ongoing support to our Emergency services by local Baked Relief drop offs.

Drift at Corro Drive - a huge tray of mini quiches which they LOVED and matched swimmingly (pun intended) with the beautiful goods which Rachel (my Branch President) rallied to put together. They are still loving the shade and the support and love.

Turner Street, Fairfield - Lunch and afternoon tea to some residents badly affected.

Many random SES, Army, truck drivers around the place.

30 x 1.5 litre bottles of water to a BBQ in Goodna where a man who wasn't affected got his daughters together and they have been running BBQ, fruit and cold softdrinks there for the week. All provided by him and people he knows who wanted to support by doing something practical. He had totally run out of water. I have promised to get more water to him in the coming days. Along with lovely cupcakes (we left approx 40 on the table for the troups) He is a Baked Relief Hero!

I was getting closer to the Lockyer at least. It was around 2pm and I decided to make the treak to Esk for afternoon tea drop off and to gage needs over the coming days.

On the approach to Fernvale, I got this sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew that something was wrong, but I knew I had to push through. Jumped out of the car and began handing out wrapped treats and then I found myself smack bang into a HELL I never want to experience again.

In Brisbane I have seen some streets which can only be described as war zones. But I realised at that point that in Brisbane it was a war zone of environment, but in Fernvale it is a war zone of broken hearts. There is a very different feel there.

In Brisbane it seems there is an amour around people. Most have volunteers helping out, the army arriving, order restored, the council trucks, the hugs and smiling faces of unaffected friends who bring food, cheer and support.

In Fernvale that have NONE of this. I don't know what the percentages of those affected are, but it seems a HUGE number in relative terms to Brisbane. And there arent the line ups of volunteers out there.

They have a well organised camp kitchen set up outside, a second hand store for people to take from and posters and line ups and people 'taking a number' like at the Deli to get some salami, but they are lining up for government financial support.

What broke my heart was a young couple sitting with their number holding hands with the deepest sorrow I have EVER seen on someones face. The kind of sorrow that you think will always be in their eyes even if their mouth does turn up at the ends one day.

I offered them some Baked Relief and they declined. I tried to convince them to take it, they wouldn't. I asked "Have you eaten today?" They kinda looked at each other and mummbled "ummm, yeahhh,,,no....not....sure" I made them take some of the healthy slice I had and said "Maybe you will feel like it later"

When I got back to the car and began to drive out of Fernvale and onto Esk I lost it. I lost it for the first time in all of this. I had to stop the car to cry, and sob and grieve. I have nothing to grieve for compared to these people, but my heart was breaking. Then I continued on, still crying.

Only a couple of km along my trip to Esk, there was a 'Road Closed' sign. WHAT? Then as I turned the bend and headed down I was faced with this:

The road was totally flooded. That is a huge crossing and parts of it were running very fast.

Maybe I wasn't going to get to Esk. A little bit of my heart is in Esk Valley.

So I went back into town and found somewhere to buy maps (I had forgotten my SEQ maps, they are in the picnic basket, which is surreal now... so far removed from a picnic this is!) The only thing they had was this street directory that looked vintage. I just bought it, I needed something. When I got to the car and opened it up, I was surprised. This street directory was all hand written! Very vintage.

This street directory told me that although Fernvale is only just down the road, they are slightly forgotten, they are basic, get the job done people. They dont need big fancy coloured UBD (or Malways in the Southern states) or GPS systems. They have a hand drawn street directory to tell them where they are going.

I needed time to think about this. And I needed to brainstorm how I was going to get to Esk. I was very tired and very emotional so I decided to head home and spend the drive time reflecting on the sadness I found in Fernvale.

Everyone needs to know they are cared for. That they are important. I want them to have a bit of colour in their life though, I want to bring them something a bit special. Something to tell them that although they are down the road from Brisbane, we think, we care and love them.
Fernvale is just one of the towns which will be top priority in our Lockyer Feed-a-thon Project. As Brisbane's Mayor was quoted "This isn't a sprint, this is a marathon" and I want people to commit to feeding this community with food made with love for as long as they need it.

With Kay running IT, Mel running PR, and me being the CEO without the corner office, but in the best place I can be we are changing this world with team of girls coordinating their local areas and the bakers and the delivery people and the supporters which bring food and offers of kitchens and stock... WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU! But we are all doing it for free!

A special mention to Linda who is managing my emails and getting me up to date information I need! xox And to my sister Tammie for putting up with my 'Devil Wears Prada' boss style way!

We have also launched the Adopt a Family Project. We are data matching people in metro areas to cook a meal a week for someone who has been flood affected. Some of these people will not be returning to their homes for months and months and although I don't know yet where they are all going to go, what I do know is that we will find them and we will support them with home cooked meals delivered by a family who as adopted them for as long as they need it. For more information see Contact Us.

How we are going to do this once we need to return to work, I do not know. But the path will be mapped for and something will happen and it will all work out.

You are all doing an amazing job. Your support has been nothing short of extraordinary. Who would have thought so many people could bake and cook and wanted to get out there and NURTURE South East Queensland.

Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.

Current Direction

WE NOW HAVE A WEBSITE GO HERE:
http://www.bakedrelief.org/

For up to date requests and locations monitor twitter

@digellabakes and @melkettle

#bakedrelief

as requests are coming through all the time.

This blog was updated 7:30am Monday

~On Sun 17 Jan - #bakedrelief trended Number 4 for tweets in Australia~

Lets get down to business straight up. The Baked Relief Army is looking for direction.

Our Wonderful Emergency Services

I received a tweet from Qld Police Media yesterday "You're all doing a great job, please don't forget our hard working Police / Fire and Ambos"

So, if you are looking for somewhere to drop a whole cake and bring cheer see below some of the Police locations around affected areas who deserve a little Baked Relief. Look up your ambos and fire stations in your area and drop off!

Acacia Ridge - Chardean St
Alderley - 20 Pickering St - They are housing extra officers here and need #bakedrelief

Bellbowrie - 5 Westaway Crs

Brisbane City - 46 Charlotte St

Coorpooroo - 19 Knowsley St

Dutton Park - 150 Annerley Rd

Fortitude Valley - Brookes St

Goodna - 12 Church St

Hemmant - 35 Macedon St

Indooroopilly - 343 -347 Moggill Rd

Middle Park - Dandenong Rd Mt Ommaney

Milton  - Baroona Road Shopng Cntr Baroona rd

Oxley - 1 Chapman Pl

Sherwood - 424 Oxley Rd

West End - 92 Boundary St

Where it matters - The residents

Today there are no HUBS to drop off your goods.. but here is what I need you to do:

Load up your baking, try and carpool to reduce traffic on the road.

Slap on some suncream

Have everything wrapped in individual portions (perfect for muddy hands)

Cold poppers have been REALLY well received!Fruit is KING at present. Wash and wrap an apple in gladwrap and take them down and hand them out. (I heard that Zone Fresh locations are well stocked with fruit)

Grab some serviettes and hand sanitizer

Go to an affected area and find a street of people working to clean their homes

Throw a big smile on your face and tell them you are bringing Baked Relief to help them keep going.

DONT UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO PEOPLE!

These are the affected suburbs/locations who have specifically contacted me for help in the last 12 hours:

Fig Tree Pocket - Mandalay Street

Graceville - Nadine Street

Fernvale (desperate for care as feel they have been forgotten :(

St Lucia - Warren Street

Goodna - Spalding Street (these people are doing it really tough. they don't even have running water)

Indooroopilly - Boundary Road

Bellbowrie -flood affected streets need fruit, water and wrapped treats

Moggil - flood affected streets need fruit, water and wrapped treats

Karrana Downs - flood affected streets need fruit, water and wrapped treats

If you have only got a short time today, you can drop to the Graceville School tuck shop at Acacia Street, Graceville and they are doing all the Baked Relief deliveries for us! BEAUTY!

ME

I am really working hard to get everyone running things here in Brisbane because a piece of my heart is in the Lockyer Valley and I really need to get out there to deliver some Baked Relief and assess the situation there. I will start making lists of families to begin preparing meals to get these people back on their feet. Even if they haven't been flood affected to their homes, most have been without power for 6+ days, have lost friends and family and are isolated due to bridge collapses.

My boys are STILL with mum, they have power now and some tinned meat and fruit --- eeewwww and there is just no fresh produce even if they could get out! So we really need to get some good home cooking out there to these struggling farmers QUICK!

I am still taking my scheduled annual leave as we cant go away anyway... BUT BAKED RELIEF NEEDS ME! I dont know what's going to happen next Monday when I am back at work. It breaks my heart that my passion for helping will be reduced dramatically... anyone want to sponsor me to keep going? haha

This is my direction today. I really want everyone to please look after Brisbane for me today.

I BEG OF YOU.... SPREAD YOUR BAKED RELIEF CHEER TO BRISBANE!

Head to the area, find people and give. If they already have enough Baked Relief, move to another location. We can help these residents and volunteers smile!

Baked Relief Hits the Streets - Sunday

If you have photos of your Baked Relief efforts please email them to www.digella@live.com.au


This is what a couple of us achieved today.

Me and Rachel and Drift. There was a tweet "Drift at Coronation Drive needs #bakedrelief"

We were there within 10 minutes. That's quicker than Domino's Pizza!

Very quickly we realised there was no food, no bbq cooking and no shade. And 50+ people.

 

Within 25 minutes Baked Relief CEO(me) and Rosalee Branch President (Rachel) had much needed shade, beautiful savouries and sweets and lots of cheer to get them through the day.

HUGS AND TEARS ALL ROUND!

Meanwhile over at Mt Ommaney Kay and her friend were peddling their Baked Relief food and water to some hard working people in a shopping village. Many hadn't eaten all day!

I spread some Baked Relief cheer to these Energex guys. I traded them for access to the street which was blocked off. 

One guy said "You're fucking awesome"

Which I believe losly interprets to "Wow, how delightfully fantastic"

And how about these Baked Relief Heros!

Baked Relief Sunday

This blog was updated 7:30am Sunday



For up to date requests and locations monitor twitter

@digellabakes and @melkettle

Even better, look up #bakedrelief

as requests are coming through all the time.

~On Sat 16 Jan - #bakedrelief trended in the Top 5 tweets in Australia~

How can you help?
As the clean up is moving around the city and as each section is cleaned up, the crew move on, so unfortunately I am half a day behind on locations.

Or give to the cause HERE where we plan to provide ongoing food packs to families in need and in the Lockyer Valley where it is really needed. Many farms have lost all food due to no power since Monday.

Where it matters - The residents
I need my army (you) to travel to a suburb close to you which has been affected. Find some volunteers and / or some people who have been affected by the flood and are cleaning up and provide some baked cheer to them. I can honestly tell you, delivering a treat to those who have been affected has been the most FANTASTIC part of this project for my army. Don't be shy, just do it.
~~

Load up your baking, try and carpool to reduce traffic on the road.

Slap on some suncream

Have everything wrapped in individual portions (perfect for muddy hands)

Cold poppers have been REALLY well recieved!

Fruit is KING at present. Wash and wrap an apple in gladwrap and take them down and hand them out. (I heard that Zone Fresh locations are well stocked with fruit)

Grab some serviettes and hand sanitizer

Go to an affected area and find a street of people working to clean their homes

Throw a big smile on your face and tell them you are bringing Baked Relief to help them keep going.DONT UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO PEOPLE!

These are the affected suburbs/locations who have specifically contacted me for help in the last 12 hours:
Fernvale (desperate for care as feel they have been forgotten :(

St Lucia - flood affected streets need fruit, water and wraped treats
Goodna - Woogaroo Street -  flood affected streets need fruit, water and wraped treats
Bellbowrie -flood affected streets need fruit, water and wraped treats
Moggil - flood affected streets need fruit, water and wraped treats
Karrana Downs - flood affected streets need fruit, water and wraped treats
Rocklea - Specifically Ashover Street. These business have lost EVERYTHING Full list of suburbs HERE

Head to the area, find people and give. If they already have enough Baked Relief, move to another location. We can help these residents and volunteers smile!

HUBS
So these are the locations for Volunteering Hubs which you can drop off your treats too as well. Make sure it is already portioned!


ST LUCIA - Cnr Coldridge and Carmody Street

WEST END - cnr Melbourne & Boundry Roads  All the good work done! YAY

FAIRFIELD - vnr Venner and Fairfield Roads

YERONGA - The Esplanade (down by the river)

And there are more, but I just dont have the details on them at the moment and as you can imagine, this is a moving feast! Follow on twitter if you can :)

ME
I have the most amazing team of people working with me on this. THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Most I have never met, yet they are for the cause and doing the most amazing things. When I met Rachel (coordinating Rosalie/Milton and areas) for the first time I cried because what is happening here in Brisbane is so amazing.

Yesterday was possibly the most emotional day of my life. The loss, the mess and the smell. But the love and care I experienced while I cried with grown men about the spirit and the feeling here in Brisbane of everyone working together was heart filling.

We are also continuing to provide all meals to Volunteering Qld head office who are managing all the calls! 22,000 calls THIS WEEK! And Baked Relief is keeping them going.
Monitor twitter @digellabakes or @melkettle #bakedrelief as requests are coming through all the time.

Twitter is how I will update anything I know during the day. Tweet me if you know an area in need or if the area has enough and I will retweet it out to the army of Baked Relief crew :) Try to add #bakedrelief to your tweet too and help will come.

I am also working hard (well harder) to pull together care kits to take our to Lockyer Valley in the coming days. So many have lost everything and the ones who haven't or have minimal flood damage hav been without power for 5-6 days and lost all of their food as well as damage to their properties

FUNDS
We have raised over $1,000 towards this cause. I have lots of good ideas for this money. See
You can be inspired or be an inspiration...
WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO DO BOTH!
this post for how I spent the first bits of the money.
If you would like to give where we can make a difference directly to the flood affected with food give HERE.

Baked Relief Hits the Streets

For up to date requests and locations monitor twitter

@digellabakes and @melkettle

#bakedrelief

as requests are coming through all the time.

This blog will be updated Sunday 8am

~On Sat 16 Jan - #bakedrelief trended in the Top 5 tweets in Australia~

As I was driving by the industrial area I thought they look like they deserved a little treat.

They loved it down in Rocklea!

They have a huge task ahead, the lady second from the left is the owner.

They have lost everything.

Great to see the younger ones getting into it too, lead by mum, but still got the smiles!



1st Purchase with Baked Relief Funds

I bought water. Water you may ask?

Do you know how many tweets I got today calling DESPERATELY for water? This is concerning.

2nd Purchase with Baked Relief Funds

While buying water I met a man covered in mud who has lost everything in the flood. They were renting with no insurance. Him and wife have 1 year old. He was buying a BBQ chicken, some bread and fruit at Sherwood Coles. With money from baked relief funds, I bought his food and threw in a $50 gift card for tomorrow to buy more. He gave me a hug! I cried!


Thank you everyone for your amazingly amazing job today. The tweets are coming in soooo fast with the hashtag #bakedrelief that I can barely keep up.

THEY ARE LOVING US OUT THERE ON THE STREET!

Baked Relief Update - Saturday & Sunday

Monitor twitter @digellabakes and @melkettle #bakedrelief as requests are coming through all the time.

We are all doing an amazing job providing Baked Relief around South East Qld.

I have been operating on very little sleep. I am running Baked Relief and nothing else from 5am each day until at least 1am each morning. There are just so many emails, (150+ per day) tweets (1 every 2 minutes), phone calls (numerous) to answer.

My boys are STILL isolated, but they may be able to get out this afternoon. The water is gone, its the damage to the bridges which is the problem. My poor Mum deserves a medal! They are safe and have a bit more food now, electricity is still off (that's 6 days)
Our family holiday (first holiday in four years) was due today. But alas, we can not go because my boys are away. I am crying as I type this because I have spent 6 months planning this holiday with the children.
SLAP SLAP!
That was me slapping myself across the face!
I need to keep busy - and Baked Relief is doing just that!
But I just cant do everything.
I need to keep this movement going, but I need your help.

How can you help?

As the clean up is moving around the city and as each section is cleaned up, the crew move on, so unfortunately I am half a day behind on locations.

Or give to the cause HERE where we plan to provide ongoing food packs to families in need and in the Lockyer Valley where it is really needed. Many farms have lost all food due to no power since Monday.

Where it matters - The residents

I need my army (you) to travel to a suburb close to you which has been affected.  Find some volunteers and / or some people who have been affected by the flood and are cleaning up and provide some baked cheer to them. I can honestly tell you, delivering a treat to those who have been affected has been the most FANTASTIC part of this project for my army.

I get many emails / messages of support and thanks, here are just a few from last night

From Volunteering Qld: "that meal was the highlight of our week"

From a New Farm resident cleaning up: "to a wonderful girl who gave us homemade scones when we were cleaning a flooded house in new farm: thankyou, you made our day! #bakedrelief"

From someone handing out Baked Relief: "Giving something so small and seeing the smile on the residents face was enough for me to survive for a week"

From a resident in Fairfield: "It is great to know we aren't forgotten, #bakedrelief made us smile on a very dark day"

~~
Load up your baking, try and carpool to reduce traffic on the road
Slap on some suncream
Have everything on disposable plates, already portioned. (very important)
Grab some serviettes and hand sanitizer
Go to an affected area and find a street of people working to clean their homes
Throw a big smile on your face and tell them you are bringing Baked Relief to help them keep going.
DONT UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO PEOPLE!

These are some of the affected suburbs/locations who have specifically contacted me for help:

Moray Street, New Farm
Goodna
Rocklea
Yeronga
Fairfield
Chelmer
Fig Tree Pocket
Jindalee
Wacol

Full list of suburbs HERE

Head to the area, find people and give. If they already have enough Baked Relief, move to another location. We can help these residents and volunteers smile!

HUBS

So these are the locations for Volunteering Hubs which you can drop off your treats too as well. Make sure it is already portioned!

SHERWOOD - plumer Street, best access from southside via Fairfield Road.

WEST END - cnr Melbourne & Boundry Roads

FAIRFIELD - vnr Venner and Fairfield Roads

GRACEVILLE - Cnr White Street and Verney Road

YERONGA - The Esplanade (down by the river)

BUILIMBA - Oxford Street

And there are more, but I just dont have the details on them at the moment and as you can imagine, this is a moving feast!

ME
I beg that you refrain from emailing me with questions today (unless you really need support on a project we are working on together) Because I really need to get out there too and deliver some stuff to my friends who have been affected too. I also have a cold room full of stuff to coordinate the distribution of and will be away from the computer most of the day. We are also continuing to provide all meals to Volunteering Qld head office who are managing all the calls! 22,000 calls THIS WEEK! And Baked Relief is keeping them going. YAY! (if you can provide a healthy lunch or dinner for 20-25 people and drop to the CBD please tweet or email me as I am still working on getting these guys fed!)

Monitor twitter @digellabakes or @melkettle #bakedrelief as requests are coming through all the time.

Twitter is how I will update anything I know during the day. Tweet me if you know an area in need or if the area has enough and I will retweet it out to the army of Baked Relief crew :)

I am so sorry I can not email everyone back directly just at the moment, but I need to focus on what I can do. But make sure you seed fan mail, as we always love that!

I am sorry this email is all over the place... just relecting my brain at present. Please understand. I am doing the absolute best I can.

FUNDS

We have raised almost $1,000 towards this cause. I will let you know our plans for these funds in the coming days.

And my parting note today on our biggest Baked Relief day:

If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito...

Baked Relief Update ~ Phase 2

~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~

or
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
@digellabakes with hashtag #bakedrelief

BREAKING NEWS::: Baked Relief has gone INTERNATIONAL on LONDON TV! And SKY News HERE!

If you want to help but cant bake or live far away, you can give towards ingredients for my helpers to cook and bake more and more over the coming weeks. Go HERE to give

Here is South East Qld we are moving to Phase 2 of this crisis - The clean up!

#1 Community Support

It you live near an affected area take your Baked Relief and some hand sanitizer down to the clean up crew! THEY WILL THANK YOU!

There are small communities setting up working bees around Brisbane and if you can find out where they are, take a table down there and set up some treats, this will sure bring a smile to their faces.

Some lollies for the kids, some fruit and cordial will all be very much appreciated!

#2 Clean Up Hubs Launch & Drop Off Locations

Clean up has begun. These are the locations being set up. Please remember tomorrow is the official DAY 1 of BAKED RELIEF. But they have started cleaning today, so check out what you can do. And check back here or on twitter for latest updates. NOTE: Take hand sanitizer with you, we dont want Volunteers to get sick!

YERONGA - 200-250 people today (Friday) cleaning up The Esplande, Yeronga, down by the river. Need food, drinks and this will be ongoing. Please help!

WEST END - Cnr Melbourne and Boundry Streets (table set up from Sat AM)

BULIMBA - Oxford Street

FAIRFIELD - Cnr Fairfeild and Venner Roads (best access via Ipswich road then Venner Road)

SHERWOOD - Johnstone Street

ROSALIE - Near shops, not sure exact location at this stage.

~

Through twitter I have also learned of these two locations for drop off to get to the SES and volunteers:

Nexus office: 151 Flockton, Everton Park by 5pm Friday or btwn 7-8am Saturday

Citypointe Church, Wecker Road, Carindale.

#3 Volunteering Queensland

This team of people are working hard and long to take calls for volunteers for the clean up. They are taking one call every few seconds from a small office in Brisbane CBD. They are working SOOO hard.

Through the Brisbane Food Bloggers group on twitter have coordinated hot home cooked meals for them over the weekend. THIS IS FANTASTIC!

If you can bake a morning tea / afternoon tea style food for 20-25 people and drop into Brisbane CBD, please contact me. Please also shoot me an email of any Baked Relief you have provided, I love hearing of the difference we are making, it keeps me going on hardly any sleep!

digella@live.com.au
@digellabakes

Love is kindness with its work boots on! (or is it gum boots? ;)

Words of Support for Baked Relief

TWEETS

From @dannnnn
to a wonderful girl who gave us homemade scones when we were cleaning a flooded house in new farm: thankyou, you made our day! #bakedrelief

From @visualabode
I've never heard so many adults yell out 'cookie'! #bakedrelief

From @monkylicious
Volunteering Qld office sooo happy to see REAL FOOD! they have some vegos, dairy and gluten free there too. #bakedrelief

From @davekerridge
People just keep coming to my door to donate food and drink for tomorrow!! so amazing!!! #bakedrelief
EMAIL

From Mark Creyton, Manager, Volunteering Queensland Inc.:
Wow !!! Danielle I think this evenings meal will be a highlight of the week for us – the sweet food in the morning was also awesome. Can you pass on our thanks M
From Louise:
We personally took the stuff to the people of West End and New Farm. We had steed capped wellos donated by my husband's work and myself, my 13 year old son and his mate braved the goop and made so many people realise that they are not forgotten.

From Tamai:
Hi there - I have a friend in Brisbane who was at a loss as to what she could do, but now is totally focussed, thanks to your blog and fantastic idea - if only I was closer I would be baking 24/7! - hopefully you/me & others can spread the word and help those that are in need! We live outside of Tenterfield in northern NSW and were flooded out of home for the week - but are grateful for the support, beds and home cooked meals we were provided while waiting to get back home. There is nothing like a home cooked meal and your own bed!!

I am getting approx 200 emails + tweets + Facebook messages every day. Dont get sad if I dont respond straight away. I am doing the best I can and I value everyone!

Baked Relief Update

~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~

or
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
@digellabakes with hashtag #bakedrelief


I have hardly slept and only sat to drive from location to location and after a shower and a cup of tea I have sat for 10 mins in quiet contemplation about what has occurred in the past few days.

WOW! The support of bakers around Brisbane has been astounding. That is all I can say. My emotions are all over the place, I dont know how many times someone has made me cry in the past few days. Whether its an old lady who tells me "you have given me a purpose" or an SES worker responding to baked goods with "Really? You did this for us?" All the people out there who have baked... I APPLAUD YOU!

I have spoken with my Mum and boys and they are still isolated. No electricty (still) and no milk or basics. The boys ate steak for breakfast!  Not sure when they will get out, but if the situation with food keeps up they will ask for a drop for sure. It seems our Stradbroke Island family holiday will not take place from Saturday as planned. But we will make that up later in the year for sure. So much pain in the Lockyer area and it just keeps getting worse. The Army are doing a great job now taking the hard work off the SES so they can grieve the loss of family and friends.

I have currently 178 emails in my inbox, 40 facebook and twitter messages and countless tweets.

If you would like to hear the podcast of the radio interview from yesterday click HERE (in the interview I had about 40 bakers, today I have had at least 100!)

We have moved to the second phase now. The clean up and support.

SES have basically shut up shop and are back down to the normal working crews.

Phase Two of Baked Relief

If you live near an affected area there will be people working hard to clean up. Make sure your treats are in bite sized, easy pieces. Take them down to the clean up zones with a bottle of hand sanitizer and offer around. Even cordial, a slab of softdrink or a bag of lollies will sure be welcomed.

Mel (a fellow blogger) suggested can you cook a double batch of lasagne or other wet dish, suitable for freezing to take to people who are looking after people who have been evacuated? Or neighbours who have been affected?

These people need to know we are all here thinking of them and supporting them. Some people just need someone to listen to their story. Give them a brownie and 10 minutes of your time.

These people are just friends we haven't met yet.

SES Stafford Sandbagging - Last night 11:30pm

SES Stafford 11pm last night (sandbags to the right)

A sobering thought. I took this photo in Grantham on Sunday afternoon 3pm

This is all gone now :(

Baked Relief

~PLEASE CHECK LATEST POSTS FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND DIRECTIONS~
or
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
@digellabakes with hashtag #bakedrelief


It feels like the end of days for some. My heart goes out.

My boys are isolated with my Mum at the family farm between Helidon and Gratham (the HOT spot) they are safe but have lost a lot. Members of my family have lost EVERYTHING. Some lives are lost too.

So while I was sitting here needing to do something I came up with an idea to begin a baked relief for our SES volunteers.

So last night through Twitter and Facebook I launched my Baked Relief hash tag and offers of baking help came flooding in.

These SES guys and girls are working hard through the night to make sandbags for preservation of homes.

I took up some supper to them last night at 11pm. Some I baked and some from people I had never met, only through twitter.

When I dropped off the baked relief the SES supervisor said "Really, you did this for us?" I was more touched that I have ever felt. They were so grateful.

Through my baked relief efforts other bloggers and friends and family have baked and delivered goods to the SES and our to the evacuation centers. And their lives have been touched too.

It has gone viral and I was contacted for a live interview on a Canberra radio station. They were touched too, by the work we are doing to bring cheer to this situation.

Here are a list of places to take baked goods.

~~
Guyatt Park, Bryce Street, St Lucia

Botticelli Street Park, Botticelli Street, Fig Tree Pocket

Hawthorne Park, Cnr Park and Oak Street, East Brisbane

Perrin Park, Josling St, Taringa

Darra Works Depot, Shamrock Rd, Darra

Morningside Works Depot, Redfern Street, Morningside

Newmarket SES Depot, Wilston Rd, Newmarket (in carpark off Erneton Street)

Zillmere Works Depot, Jennings Street, Zillmere

Stafford Works Depot, Turner Road, Kedron
~~
MORE:
Arana Hills

James Drysdale Reserve, Cnr Jinker Track & Bunya Road, Bunya

Bribie Island
208-224 First Avenue, Bongaree

Caboolture
27 Wararba Drive, Caboolture

Deception Bay
24 Old Bay Road

Petrie
3 Woonara Drive

Redcliffe
Portwood Street

CONTACT SES HERE to check other locations

If you can get there safely, please take some cheer to these hard workers. It will mean a lot.

Well I am off to bake another batch, boil some drinking water and eat some fruit while I still have some because I don't think I will be eating fresh fruit and veg for a while.

Also, you can email me on digella@live.com.au if you would like contact me direct.

Update 13 Jan 10am: My children and mum are still stuck in Lockyer Valley, no electricty, no milk, running out of food. Hopefully they will be out soon!

What can you bake?

They love brownies (cut them into little pieces to go further) piklets, scones... that comfort style food that makes you think of home!

Walk them around to the troops, they dont always get time for a break... you will hear "Thank you" hundreds of times over.

Also, we can direct our support to evac centers now too... lets bring spread our cheer EVERYWHERE!

"This might break our hearts, but it will not break our will" Anna Bligh 11/1/11

Cheating on Fashion with Wellington Boots

Carrie in Sex and The City quoted "I am cheating on fashion with furniture" when Big and her moved into Heaven on Fifth.

What about me?

Well I am cheating on fashion and furniture with wellington boots and umbrellas!

It is really out of control. There is no other way to explain it.

A good friend who has been covering the floods on the ground as a news reporter (Channel 9 A Current Affair - Rebecca Bergh just in case you wonder the high level people I mix with ;) wrote on facebook:

"Summer... you have so far beeen a catastrophic disappointment"

I could not have summed it up better myself. I have been to the beach twice this summer. Once to Noooosa with Rebecca and family (post HERE) and to Bribie over the Christmas hols while the sun shone for an afternoon.

Mold is building momentum on the botched up 1950's add on area of my house and it is making me feel slightly ill. My puppy dogs smell like vomit. It really is disgusting.

Over the weekend I was involved with some sandbagging at my friends house. (see her flood story HERE) Well actually I was doing no sandbagging, I was just watching and pointing and oowwwing and aaahhhhing. Give me a break, I had just replaced one of the four pair of shoes which are now ruined and I took them out for an inaugural wear. I was not getting those sparkling babies wet! I did totally pimp her playroom though!

I am so worried for Gympie. Really worried. Pray and pray hard everyone.

So to lighten the mood I thought I would show you what I am lusting for.

Gina and May HERE for the online store and stockists.

"...boutique collections of rain umbrellas that speak to high quality and functionality..."

Hey Gina, you are speaking my language. I am boutique, and I am high quality and functional too!

These umbrellas are perfect for when the sun comes back because they are have a UPF protection factor of 25!

Carvival Long with hook handle and STYLE STYLE STYLE

Starlet Compact perfect for handbag.

Popsicles Long. SWEET.

Even manly ones.

How stylish. I love it!

Wellies Online HERE

I am loving these gumboots.

Carmel Hunter Style Gumboots on sale for under $100!

Pari Wellies

Love Gumboots

So as you can see, all I can think about is wet weather gear and combatting mold and how much my electricty bill will be with my clothes dryer going 10 hours a day.... when I just want to be doing something like this....