Enterprise name CERES Community Environment Park
What’s the cause CERES works in a number of areas, but our largest and most well known is our environmental education programs. Our primary objective is to help people fall in love with the Earth again.
What’s the trading activity CERES encompasses an organic cafe, plant nursery and organic grocery, as well as our smaller venue hire, organic microgreens and free-range egg enterprises, just to name a few.
How are you going with the work? Our large 4.5 hectare physical presence means we capture thousands of people in the local community, who simply visit for a stroll through green space. In addition to these casual visitors, a significant number of people experience CERES through hiring a venue for events. With a range of informal and formal venues available at comparatively reasonable prices, this enterprise allows the opportunity to introduce CERES to members of the public who may not already be familiar with the site. As mentioned, there a number of different pathways by which people find their way to CERES, such as workshops, community groups and volunteering.
Biggest challenge Our biggest challenge is finding the capacity to carry out the many projects that are required to keep CERES running smoothly and effectively for the community. We rely on volunteers to assist with the shortfall, and could not keep the site open, maintained and free for all to visit if it weren’t for the hard work of our volunteers. While many of our activities can be supported by funds generated through our many small social enterprises, we are still beholden to the strategic focus of local and state government when seeking assistance to continue providing a dedicated service to the community.
Hope for the future Our hope for the future is that our work will expand further beyond Brunswick East, and the reach of our social enterprises will grow. We hope that more people will feel compelled to choose a closer and deeper connection with the Earth by visiting CERES and supporting the work that we do.