APRIL DINNER

Every month we have a dinner in the community centre of our independent living retirement village. The residents have a dinner committee, which organise the dinners and guest speakers. This year we have two teams of catering students from Rochedale High School and the team that was on duty this night also had musicians as well. So when we arrived we could get a drink from the bar, mingle and listen to dinner music.

There are between 70 and 100 people attending these dinners. We have a visiting chef and helper. They prepare alternate drop meals. We used to have a main course and a dessert but the format has changed to an entree and main instead. This is so the students can start cleaning the kitchen earlier so that they can get home on time and there is less for the residents to wash up. Each month residents of a different street are asked to wash up. We have two industrial dish washers that wash in 90 seconds. So it's not so hard. 

For the entree we had salmon mousse or vegetable pate with salad. The main course was deconstructed steak and kidney pie or chicken and leek pie. It wasn't one of our best meals but it was okay.

Our Guest Speaker was one of our residents, Robin Kleinschmidt. He is a member of the Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller and he told us about its 1000 year history. He is a Knight of Justice and wore his robes as he entered the room.

Students entertain us with singing and music.

Managing Director, Chiou See Anderson's mother had flown from Singapore to spend time with her daughter. The  first time since the pandemic started. Ann in the blue dress in front organises the dinners at age 82.

She explains to Robin where to walk through the tables.

Ann helps Robin disrobe before the talk.

Our Managing director, Chiou See, stands with the students and chefs while they were being thanked by our residents' chairman.