Riverside has embarked on an exciting new venture – creating a Community Garden amongst the tranquil setting alongside the North Para River. With the assistance of a government grant and 15-20 willing helpers, we are growing vegetables and herbs which is already producing a regular harvest for our commercial kitchen.

Our aim broadly is to grow food which can be used by Nicole and the kitchen team in their menus and meal packs they create. In addition to being productive growing space, we also ensure our Community Garden is a great place for people to connect. So, we have named our garden ‘Purruna’, which in Kaurna language means Life Giving and Wellbeing. This perfectly represents what we want our Community Garden to be.

The vision we have for our Community Garden at Riverside is 4-fold:

· A safe place where people can come and find peace and restoration. A place of calm and nurture and listening. God does some of His finest work with us in a garden.

· Inclusive of everyone, with a particular focus towards those who are vulnerable, homeless or doing it tough, standing alongside them as they help grow the vegetables and watching them benefit from the proceeds of the harvest through the food that the kitchen produces. Helping in the beginning and sharing in the spoils at the end.

We are also keen to involve local Aboriginal groups and invite Elders to share with us their knowledge in growing and using bush foods, such as Warrigal Greens, Finger Limes, Bush Tomatoes and native berries.

· Successful harvesting, where we grow lots of great produce for our fantastic kitchen team to use in creating even fresher, more healthy meals.

· Environmentally aware, by using only organic gardening methods to grow the healthiest produce and to use the most water-efficient methods of irrigation.

So…if this Community Garden concept is something that piques your interest, even a little bit, we’d love to hear from you. You can contact Josh on 0468 394 569 or Rick on 0417 832 502, who will be able to answer any questions you may have and point you in the right direction.

We’d love to hear from you

As the ladies of the Church we know that every woman needs an oasis, a place of rest, relaxation and refreshing away from all our responsibilities.

Actually we believe that all you need to create an oasis is a good cup of coffee, unhurried time and a group of supportive friends.

So with that thought in mind, in the midst of our busy lives we create a women’s only oasis at Riverside Cafe.

This moment in time will be whatever you need it to be, so just come along and see where the conversations and the friendships lead!

The Hope Cup is a charity cricket match always played between the Riverside All-Stars and the Gawler Police. The All-Stars are an invitational team made up of local businesspeople and community influencers who have a heart to raise funds for those doing it tough in our region.

The Hope Cup 2024 cricket match will be on Sunday 17th November starting at 10am. It is played at the Sandy Creek Cricket Club at Curdnatta Park SA 5350. This is on the Corner of Davies Road and Williamstown Road.

The money is spent directly in our community to run projects that support those living on the streets or who are the risk of homelessness. This has included the installation of 16 'Lockers for Life' at Riverside Salvos, breakfasts, hot showers and hot meals available everyday 365 days a year for those rough sleeping. Clothing, street survival kits, emergency medical needs and also support into accommodation, work and rehab.

Click here to visit the official Hope Cup website.

MORE THAN A GYM, GET YOUR LIFE FIT

Riverside Gym started in late 2021 by Josh Sanders as a way of connecting vulnerable individuals to community. The gym has expanded to having another qualified gym instructor, with multiple groups throughout the week. The fitness component runs for 30-60 minutes followed by small group discussion or mentoring. Riverside gym works with different age groups, different life situations and has an intergenerational approach to supporting people.

Training varies from group to group, and person to person. Some individual clients work on strength, others balance, and the list goes on. For group sessions, there is a focus on everyone supporting each other - 'no comparisons'.

Small groups are a great way for all of us to learn. When someone else shares similar experiences, it affirms something within ourselves.

We hear that other people struggle, other people have had hardship and other people know what it is like to go through the ups and downs of life. Small groups are not only an opportunity for individuals to learn from a collective group of people, but it is also a place for people to have a voice and share their knowledge and skills. These groups also act as a place for accountability. These sessions challenge people to grow, while supporting each other on their journey.

Some of our clients have social anxiety, some have a disability, and others have suffered traumatic experiences. While we believe in the power of small groups, there are also clients who benefit from individual sessions. These sessions focus on fitness that matches the client’s goals and mentoring sessions that build the life skills and social skills for a flourishing life.

Qualified Personal Trainers:

Josh Sanders and Christian McCann.

Contact Details:

0468 394 569 & josh.sanders@salvationarmy.org.au

Location:

17 Edith Street, Gawler East, SA 5118.

W.O.W. (Women of Worth) is a program for women, any age from 13 to 100 years old (minors must be accompanied by an adult).

It's different every time, from movie nights to craft making, and games. It's always lots of fun and it usually only costs $5 per person, which includes supper.

It is on every 4 weeks on a Saturday night from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Keep checking our 'Upcoming Events' page to see when the next one is happening.

To find out more, please feel free to contact Linda on 0437 213 740.

If you love art and crafts and you also enjoy making friends then this group is for you. On Thursdays from 12pm to 2pm you get to create as you relate. Bring along your own creative endeavors to work on and spend the time chatting and befriending those around you. That is why we call it Creationships.

Join us every Thursday for a time of inspiration, community, faith and fun. It varies from week to week. There is always an opening song and a golden verse where the ladies choose their favourite verse from a selected passage of scripture. Then there is a variety of quizzes, readings, 'show and tell', and devotions that is around a particular theme on the day. Sometimes there is games, guest speakers, outings etc...

All ladies welcome! 10am - 12pm on Thursdays.

If you are a in years 7-12 SHOUT youth is the place to be in Gawler.

Every Friday from 7pm-9pm during term time we run theme nights and once a month we have a get out of town event or activity.

The cost is $2 each week and this includes food.

Our dedicated and trained team make sure everyone belongs and is valued.

SHOUT is run by members of Riverside Church so you can expect all content, values and interactions to have a strong Christian ethos, but saying that, one of our Church values is FUN so you can be assured of a great laugh and a great place to make good solid friends. Come on give us a try, you'd be crazy not to!!

Please book sessions via our eventbrite page - click here

The Riverside Cafe and Soft Play Area is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30am-1:45pm and is open Thursday and Friday from 9am-1:45pm.

Come and enjoy the atmosphere inside, on the courtyard or even on the Riverbank. Also, if you have small children the Soft Play Area is a great place to have fun.

We run two sessions in the Soft Play Area:

Brunch Session: 9am-11:30am (menu included as a download)

Lunch Session: 11:30am-1:45pm (menu included as a download)

Kitchen Closes at 1pm

You do not need to book in advance if you are just going to use the cafe, but we would appreciate some notice in advance if you are coming with a group of 10 or more.