Free lunch: Feel like a warm cuppa on a winter morning or perhaps a meal? Northside Community Care offers free lunch, tea and coffee every Tuesday from 11.30am. The cafe, sponsored by the Northside Christian Church, is at 31-61 McLeans Road, Bundoora. Details: call 9467 9749.
Creek clean-up: All you need is elbow grease to join a community clean-up of noxious plants along the Darebin Creek in Epping. Whittlesea council will provide the tools, gloves and a spot of tea for the troops. Volunteers will replace blackberry, prickly pear and boxthorn plants along the Darebin Creek with a mix of native waterway and bird-attracting shrubs. Meet at the end of Lydgate Terrace, Epping on Sunday at 10am for the three-hour clean-up. Details: call 9401 0524. July 15.
Business au lait: Local businesses can network over coffee this month. Owners and business operators can share ideas and resources and promote their products and services at the City of Whittlesea’s free Coffee plus Connect event. Participants can join the networking register after the event, at the council offices, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang from 9am to 10.30am. Details: call 9217 2278. July 27.
Study at home: Young mums and pregnant teenagers can finish year 11 and 12 and learn parenting and work skills mostly from home through Preston/Reservoir Adult Community Education. Courses include literacy, oral communication, numeracy, personal development, work skills and units from certificate II courses in childcare and hospitality. Most of each course can be completed from home, but students are required to attend the Merrilands Community Centre in Sturdee Street, Reservoir, on Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 3pm. Students can enrol any time during the year. Concession cost is $115. Details: call 9462 6077.
Family secrets: The secrets of your family tree could be revealed by taking part in a two-day research program at Mill Park library. The sessions will include access to databases such as Ancestry.com, the Times Digital Archives and other historical indexes. The free sessions will run on Tuesday, July 31 and Tuesday, October 9 from 10am to 3pm, including lunch. The library will run another session on genealogy to mark National Family History Week on Thursday, August 2 from 1pm to 2pm. Family and local history librarian Liz Pidgeon will reveal researching tips. Details: call 9437 8189.
