Volunteer at Community Christmas Lunch
Published on 21 October 2025
Spread the festive cheer this December and volunteer for Community Christmas Lunch in Castlemaine.
The free celebration is hosted by Castlemaine Community House with support from Mount Alexander Shire Council and is open to all shire residents.
The event is held on Christmas Day every year and is a great way to come together, connect with your community and enjoy the season’s festivities in a friendly environment.
“Every year my kids and I look forward to volunteering to set up and decorate the hall for the Christmas lunch,” said Emily Andriske, 2024 volunteer.
“There is a lovely festive community vibe and I feel we get just as much out of it as we put in.
“It is a heartwarming way to give back at Christmas time and a beautiful reminder, especially for my children, of the true spirit of Christmas – kindness, generosity and community.”
Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:
- Kitchen/meal preparation
- Hall and table decoration
- Gift wrapping
- Driving/transportation
- Wellbeing support
- First Aid
- Food servers and cleaning up
Other way to contribute to the day include donations of:
- small gifts for children and adults
- produce and food (e.g. garden surplus of fruit and vegetables, a bag of rice, a bottle of olive oil) to help add to the meals
- art and craft supplies such as textas, craft paper, goods, etc.
- sustainable wrapping paper e.g. second hand, plain brown paper, Who Gives a Crap paper
- hand crafted decorations
- cash donations to support the event.
Castlemaine Community House is also seeking a well-organised and community-minded person to take up the paid role of Kitchen Coordinator.
The ideal candidate will hold relevant food safety qualifications, understand workplace health and safety requirements, and demonstrate strong teamwork and communication skills.
To find out more about volunteering or express your interest in the Kitchen Coordinator position, contact Castlemaine Community House on 5472 4842 or reception@cch.org.au.
Castlemaine Christmas Community Lunch is proudly brought to you by Castlemaine Community House, Mount Alexander Shire Council, HALT (Hope Assist Local Tradies), Castlemaine Safe Space, Dhelkaya Health, Castlemaine Rotary, Bendigo and Community Bank Maldon & District, and would not be possible without the generous donations of many local business and community individuals.