Food relief programs in Kingborough have benefitted from an innovative collaboration between community members, local charities and Saunders and Ward, which has resulted in the donation of four pumpkin cutting machines.

Retired North West Coast farmer, Norman Spurr of Margate was inspired by a similar machine on his brother-in-law’s farm as an idea to help local charities processing large amounts of pumpkins for their food relief programs.

Mr Spurr took the concept to Huntingfield based business, Saunders and Ward where engineer Chris Lowe developed the design and manufactured the pumpkin cutters with the assistance of the firm’s apprentices. 

Mr Spurr was impressed by the community spirit shown by Saunders and Ward through their assistance with the project and thanked Mr Lowe in particular for putting in such a large amount of effort to create a design that was safe for commercial operation.

The final products were then donated and are being used across southern Tasmania to assist volunteers working for local food relief programs.

“We were pleased to donate the materials and labour for such a good cause,” said Saunders and Ward Engineering manager, Ben Rolliston.

Kingborough Community Missions (KCM) founder Peter Harvey has thanked Mr Rolliston and Mr Lowe, for donating four of the stainless-steel pumpkin cutters to the charity.

“These wonderful pumpkin cutters will make it easier for Kingborough Community Missions’ volunteer chefs to use in the preparation of nutritious meals that we distribute through The Salvation Army outlets from Kingborough, Huonville to Supported Housing’s Homeless Centre at Newtown,” said Mr Harvey.

Mr Spurr has also sourced donations of tonnes of pumpkins from his nephews’ Sassafras farm, along with other vegetables like potatoes and onions, since hearing about KCM’s efforts in winter last year, to aid the efforts of KCM in providing assistance to the Kingborough community.

Pictured above: Ben Rolliston, Manager of Saunders and Ward Engineering, Kingston, Peter Harvey, founder of Kingborough Community Missions and retired farmer Norman Spurr pictured with a generous donation of pumpkins and the innovative pumpkin cutting machine conceptualised by Mr Spurr. (PS)

Pictured above: Norman Spurr with Peter Harvey of Kingborough Community Mission, Steve Miller from The Salvation Army and Patricia Harvey, also from Kingborough Community Mission. (PS)