Turning points: Dec 06 - Rachael Wheeler

Rachael Wheeler, 36, realised she was going to be away from her family for the festive season, and decided she wanted to spend Christmas Day giving something back to the community.

“I often fly home to Queensland for Christmas but last year I decided to stay in Sydney. While I had offers to join friends’ families on Christmas Day, I thought if I couldn’t be with my family, I’d prefer to do something where I could give to others. So I rang Mission Australia [1800 110 578] and asked if I could volunteer. They explained they were putting on Christmas lunch for the men at their Surry Hills homeless centre – cooking, preparing and then cleaning up after.

“I was concerned because cooking Christmas lunch is quite a big thing. I wasn’t sure of the set-up – if it would be a big hall with lots of people in a kitchen. It wasn’t: volunteers actually went into the men’s home areas to cook.

“When we got there on Christmas Day, the fridge was fully stocked. We arrived at 10.30am; dinner was served at whatever time we finished cooking. We were given an introduction into why men were there: some had addictions; others had fallen on hard times. It’s quite sobering. You realise how lucky you are.

“We ended up cooking roast pork – with crackling, vegetables, the full shebang. When lunch was ready, we were invited to sit with the men and eat, so we did. You don’t know these people and don’t want to intrude, and be chatty and festive when they mightn’t want that. You’re a guest in their home and you have to respect that. But several men were really conversational and, since we were there for hours, there were times we’d sit and have a chat or watch television with them. They seemed really appreciative of what we were doing.

“For me, it was fantastic – one of the best Christmases in a long while. It felt like maybe I’d helped some people.

“While I had volunteered previously, being at Mission Australia on Christmas Day really had an impact. It’s easy to find the time to do something for others. The unexpected outcome is how rewarding it is. I almost felt bad I got so much from it, when I was there to help others! We lead such busy lives, yet it’s good to find time to help others. I intend to continue to get out there and do more volunteering.”

Words: Karen Spresser and Josephine Brouard. Photography: Scott Hawkins. Styling: Nicholas Sholl. Hair & make-up: Jay Jay Rauwenhoff.