The Follow-Up

Day 6 - cook up

Day 6 has been an interesting one. We made a full kilogram of penne bolognese, packed it up, and headed out to hand it out for dinner, but surprisingly, we couldn’t find many people. We are guessing it’s because there were already community meal services running tonight.

On Saturdays, Our Circle ran their free weekly meal service in Maitland for vulnerable community members from 5-6pm, and Catholic Social Services hosted their free dinner at Civic from 6:30-7:30pm.

It really highlighted just how important these outreach programs are. We have seen people from Maitland showing up in Newcastle, and no doubt, people from Newcastle travelling to Maitland. There is such a heavy reliance on these free or low-cost meal services that many people will travel long distances just to get a warm meal, because without access to cooking facilities, they simply can’t make one themselves.

It just reinforces how incredible it is that so many people give their own time, money, and effort to help others. Community is everything for those doing it tough. As long as we keep showing up, we can be something they can rely on in such uncertain times.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, definitely reach out to your local organisations, they are CLEARLY making a real difference.

PS - @nataliashogan finishes here 172km run this afternoon, if you’re in Newcastle, go give her a welcome home because what she is doing is ABSOLUTE INSANITY!

PPS - of course I had to try some of the pasta to make sure it was good...

Day 4 & 5: comfort for all seasons kits!

Days 4 and 5 have been all about comfort for all seasons. We put together kindness kits again, but this time they included a pillow, a blanket, and some water. Hats and sunscreen were also a must in this heat. This cost us only $7.00-$8.00 a person.

This round was trickier than the essentials or food kits because we aimed to give them out later in the evening. On the first night, I was a bit hesitant about it. I kept saying to Ed that you don’t really want to approach a woman at night, especially someone who’s already likely on edge. Eventually, we worked out a sort of zigzag approach, walking in a way that let us come across people gradually rather than heading straight toward them. Maybe I overthink the psychology of it all, but I was glad Ed talked me into doing it at night.

If you are ever thinking about doing something similar, we found that a lot of vulnerable people tend to find refuge in parks after dark, probably because they offer coverage, a tap, and some light. That night, we met some really lovely people. One man told us he had just been given a jumper and shoes before we arrived, and he was absolutely stoked. It’s amazing how something small to us can mean so much to someone else; and like I said yesterday, there are organised supply drop off boxes at Hamilton Train Station and Christ Church Cathedral (see picture)! 

Day 5 took us back through Hamilton, wandering the back streets, where we came across REACH Homeless Services already in action. REACH runs a BBQ, provides weekend survival kits and connects people to healthcare services, which is huge. I hadn’t even heard of them before, but it was so eye-opening to see how many people volunteer every week for this community. There’s so much quiet kindness out there. I was saying to Ed that I might make a list of the local outreach programs we have come across and share it for anyone who feels called to volunteer one day (it probably already exists).

During REACH, we saw A LOT of familiar faces from HopeUC, but one moment really stood out. Ed recognised John, a man who had come up to him a few weeks before this challenge for a meal, and John recognised him too. They had a really good chat, but unfortunately, John has found himself back on the street after some rough couch-surfing circumstances, and he’d had his bag stolen too. Ed ended up giving him one of our kits, and he was so happy to see Ed again.

It actually reminded me of day one, when we met a lady named Michelle. I asked if she needed anything extra, and she just asked for a Coke. As I went to walk into the IGA, she called out, “Make sure you shut your bag, you don’t want anyone getting into it.” It really stuck with me. That constant fear of having something stolen must be so exhausting. People are desperate, I suppose. We are so lucky not to have to think twice about things like that.

Day 5 really reinforced that once you start really looking, you notice the same faces and realise that real connection and change can happen when you keep showing up. Be another kind face they can talk to!

Why are we doing this challenge?

We have reached the half way point so I thought I’d answer a couple of questions we have been asked.

What is the Nedd Challenge and why have you chosen to take part in it?

I won’t speak for Ed, but I guess from my perspective I believe that everyone has a purpose, everyone has been given something that they are supposed to reflect back positively into the universe; and that can be off the foundations of something good or bad. For instance, I look at Ed and I think, goodness he is going to change lives with a soul so bright. Anyone who has had a 3 minute conversation with him can attest to that. But in my own circumstances, I strongly feel that I was given a difficult initial life so I could learn from it and give a voice to others, a voice to help those who are disadvantaged, a voice to those who don’t have the ability to do so themselves. 

So why the Nedd Challenge then I suppose? I think that I had been looking to do something that was beyond myself, something that wasn’t just reflected in my career. I get told I’m an empath, and I say this because to me, there is no greater characteristic to embody. I want to be known as a person who can listen, and someone who can hopefully help; and this challenge reflects that in its foundations. So on that, Nedd is an absolute madman, if you haven’t heard of him, essentially his concept of the challenge is to put yourself in an uncomfortable position to raise awareness for those who don’t get the luxury of comfort in a life we so effortlessly live. In Nedd’s circumstances, he chose running across Australia in 47 days in 2022, and ran 1,600km in 12-days in 2024 to raise money for homeless Australians. So, we tried to embody that last year, we ran 10km for 10 days, and absolutely destroyed our limbs to further the vision. But I think this year, looking back on it, we didn’t give enough information, or education I suppose, about how monumental this sort of thing is. So essentially, we have crafted the challenge this year to hopefully reflect what we are working towards and educate others to follow in our lead. So instead of running for the homeless, we are going face-to-face everyday with them, we are listening, we are giving them a voice and we are learning. It feels so different this time, it feels like we can really make a difference, not just with our own actions, but by promoting others actions too.

How you can help?

This year isn’t just about donations, as much as they help, it’s more about hopefully listening to our journey and learning from it. I guess what I am trying to say is, it doesn’t require money to help these people, there is so much in a conversation. I listened to a guest speaker at the Newcastle Grainery a few weeks ago from Uganda, and he spoke about poverty being an invisible community; that no one acknowledged you, because it is so much easier to walk by. But hopefully, by hearing this, you can stop and just have a conversation. We were uncomfortable to approach this at first, because you don’t want to upset anyone, but this perception was instantly altered after our first conversation, the joy we saw in giving another person a voice was mind altering. It takes a minute of your time to ask someone how they are doing; it takes a minute of your time to ask if someone needs any help; it takes a minute of your time in a life we so effortlessly throw time away. There is so much power in being acknowledged in unforgiving circumstances! I repeat, there is so much power in being acknowledged in unforgiving circumstances!

But if your heart is called to donate, whether it be to this organisation (PS - it’s tax deductible), or in person; I just want to emphasise that it cost us $6.00 to give another person essentials, like sanitary wipes, tampons/pads, a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, food and water. It cost us $7.00 to give someone a blanket, a pillow and water. It’s not a lot, but it can hopefully provide a sense of security in uncertain times. And let me tell you, they are so grateful. Every dollar can make such a difference; look at how much the price of coffee at a cafe can get you instead for a day.

I will also note that if you aren’t comfortable donating money directly or having a conversation, there is little kindness drop offs at Hamilton Train Station and at the Christ Church Cathedral in Newcastle (if you know of any more, let me know). Essentially, you can drop off whatever you think would help someone, and the community that needs it can access it.

On a final note, in 2021, the homeless rate in Australia was 48 people per 10,000 population. As two people in the 10,000, we have probably already spoken to 48 people in 4 days. One person has so much power to help! Hopefully, you can take something from this and help give a voice to another who so desperately wants to be heard. 💛

Also thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who donated. $1,065 in the first four days is absolute insanity to me, but we are so grateful. Your money is going to give others a second chance! I can’t thank you enough. 🫂

PS - Day 4 & 5 are about providing bedding essentials and sun protection! I will post more on this soon!

PPS - sorry this was so long

Day 3 - Volunteering at hopeuc

Today we ventured to HopeUC at Maitland and volunteered with their Meals of Hope program, which runs every Wednesday. Each week, around twenty to thirty (ish) incredible community members come together to prepare a warm lunch and create a welcoming space for people experiencing homelessness. It’s a place where they can eat, shower, wash their clothes, buy discounted essentials, and most importantly, sit and connect with others. The turnout was around 35 people, which they said was actually a small crowd, they usually get around 60–70 people in that one space!

We were sent to the kitchen to help prepare and cook food, and to serve it to anyone who came through the doors. Today’s meal included apricot chicken, toasties, potato salad, and even a tofu salad for the vegetarians (which you know I was gassing up). So much time and effort goes into running places like this, I’m still in awe of the kindness we experienced, not only from the volunteers we worked alongside but also from the people we had the privilege of helping, and their resilience in such uncertain times.

They also run a mini grocery-style setup where people can buy discounted food, sanitary products, and other essentials. Prices are far more affordable than what you’d find at big retailers, and despite how well-stocked it looks (see the pictures), they have to restock weekly because of the demand. It was such a clear reminder of how many people are struggling and how much community support truly matters. Every little bit counts.

There is also a small clothing shop with discounted items and free essentials like blankets and pillows. We talked about how powerful it is to give people not just necessities, but also a sense of ownership and dignity, something many don’t get to experience as a normality.

It was heartwarming to see the sense of community that’s been built here, to see something people genuinely look forward to each week. Being part of it was indescribable. The volunteers who make this happen every week have massive hearts. Trevor and Louise, in particular, were so kind and welcoming, but I AM NOT BEING SELECTIVE, YOU ARE ALL INCREDIBLE.

It was also eye-opening to meet and put names to faces, people I have passed near work, people doing it tough, who I’d previously just walked by. Meeting them, sharing conversations, and seeing their warmth and positivity despite everything, it changes your perspective. They are some of the kindest, most genuine people you will ever meet.

I can’t speak for Ed (we split up a bit at the end to chat with different people), but I heard so many stories, stories of pain that has transformed into resilience. One man (I won’t share names out of respect) had recently lost his father just before being released from custody. He never got to say goodbye, and that grief still weighs heavily on him, but he truly believed his newborn grandson was the gift of that grief; the joy, the new beginning and his motivation to be better so his grandson could have a happy and meaningful life. Honestly, my HEART. It was so clear that these people just wanted to be heard, to share how they felt, to be understood and related to.

One of the biggest things I have learned from this challenge is that homelessness isn’t just about not having a house. It can mean not feeling safe in your home, couch surfing, or being unable to afford to live in the place you call home. It takes so many forms, and every story is different. But what is constant is how powerful connection and compassion can be. A simple two hours of our week meant the world to so many people.

There is so much joy to give, so much hope to share, and so much space to be better. I could talk about this all day, but honestly, GO VOLUNTEER. It is worth every second. A huge thank you to HopeUC for welcoming us and for the incredible work they do every single week to support people experiencing homelessness and hardship. They are truly making a difference.

A very late night post from Days 1 & 2 of the Nedd Challenge

We decided to kick off this year’s challenge a little differently, by creating kindness kits for people experiencing homelessness around the Hunter and Newcastle region.

Already, this feels so different from what we did last year. Back then, we were behind the scenes, we knew what we were raising money for, but actually meeting the people you’re trying to help hits in a completely different way.

At first, we felt ironically uncomfortable and unsure, we didn’t want to overstep or offend anyone. But as soon as we started introducing ourselves and simply asking people their names, everything shifted. A small conversation brought big smiles.

We’ve already met so many beautiful souls and heard so many heartbreaking stories, stories full of both love and loss. Stories that will make you feel grateful for the life we get to live, for the circumstances we get to have.

One lady, Kylie, asked why we were doing this, and honestly, I was a bit stumped. I just told her that we’re so lucky, and if taking a small cut of my pay means helping someone who needs it more, then that’s what I’ll do. She couldn’t stop gassing us up, even though we’d hardly done anything. These beautiful people are honestly some of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet, and it just goes to show how something so small for us can have such a huge impact on them.

Something I hadn’t really thought about before, I often assume people on the streets are alone, but we kept meeting pairs and groups. It was really eye-opening to see, that these people had each other. It wasn’t just a group of strangers; it was a family, looking out for one another in the hardest circumstances.

At one point Ed turned to me and asked, “Do we have enough? Should we get more?” And I had to remind him, we can’t fix everything overnight. But we can keep showing up. And maybe, just maybe, inspire others to do the same.

We are so lucky, to sleep in a bed, to eat when we please, to have the privilege of worrying about the things we do, safely in our homes. We’re here for a short time, make the most of it and choose kindness. 💛

Round 2!

Hello everyone, we are SO BACK! Last year, we took on the challenge of running 100km in 10 days, raising over $2,000.00 for Australians experiencing homelessness. This year, we are switching things up.

Inspired by our incredible friend Charlotte and all the work she’s done to support domestic violence funding and shelters across the Hunter region; we have decided to dedicate ten days of volunteering in the community and at shelters.

We’ll be doing this on top of our full-time jobs, study loads, and other commitments to highlight something important: Australians, especially women and children, don’t always get the privilege of flexibility or safety in their everyday lives.

This time around, we are hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the reality so many face, educate ourselves, and hopefully inspire others to make a difference, not just through donations, but in their own communities and everyday lives.

We are just ordinary people, but each day we wake up and strive to be better; to show up, to learn, and to give our time and energy to those who need it most. We are so lucky to live the lives we do, and it’s only fair that we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes for a moment; because it’s not right that they are uncomfortable while we live so comfortably.

Every act of kindness, whether it’s funding, a chat, a meal, or a helping hand, can make a huge difference. We will share a list of shelters/community organisations we will be supporting, but if you know of any that need extra hands, please reach out!

Let’s get uncomfortable (again) and do something that really matters!

Team Description

We’re back, but this time, it’s personal. Instead of running for change, we’re out on the streets creating kindness kits and connecting face-to-face with people experiencing homelessness across the Hunter and Newcastle.