Shellharbour’s Tony Neale is a softly spoken man with a big heart. For years, he has been quietly delivering freshly cooked, home-style meals to the area's most vulnerable, and our hard-working first responders. Now Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson has recognised his efforts in a speech to NSW Parliament.
Each week, Tony delivers about 300 meals across the Illawarra – from Thirroul in the north to Kiama in the south. These meals are freshly prepared using home-style recipes, such as chicken pasta, sausages and mash, chicken schnitzel, seasoned potatoes, prawn salads, roasts and battered fish, to name a few. The traditional meals are extremely popular, Tony says, as the ingredients are fresh and prepared daily.
A team of four – including Tony's wife, Mel – help in the kitchen at Kettle's On, their cafe at Shellharbour TAFE.
Previously, Tony and Mel owned the cafe at Shellharbour Hospital, and it was here that the couple realised just how much people in the community needed affordable home-cooked meals. After talking to patients, their relatives and friends as well as hospital staff, Tony started preparing fresh takeaway meals for anyone who wanted them and then he started delivering to those who were unable to collect.
As word got out, demand increased from welfare organisations looking for help. Tony was struck the extent of local need, recalling one delivery to an older woman who had been living on mouldy bread.
At the other end of the spectrum, there was also demand from workers and busy mums wanting affordable, homestyle meals.
“I now deliver meals to a range of people including the elderly, working families, busy executives, people commuting daily to work in Sydney and also students who want to eat healthily but have no time to cook,” Tony says.
Two years ago, Tony received a cancer diagnosis and running both cafes became too much, – so now he and Mel focus on Kettle's On. Tony is still receiving cancer treatment but continues to deliver meals every day.
“Sometimes I jump on my motorbike to do some deliveries, because the way I look at it, everyone has to help each other out,” he says.
The meal service is for anyone in the community, with a pick-up option available from Kettle's On. Orders can be placed by phone or through the Facebook page. Due to demand, delivery times vary. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, meals are delivered south of Windang Bridge; on Tuesday and Thursday to the north,
Meals can also be collected each weekday from the Shellharbour TAFE cafe. The meals are all cooked fresh in the morning and delivered that afternoon/evening.
For more details, head to Kettle’s On Facebook page, or call/text Tony on 0447 539 444.
