The memory of a woman, who dedicated her life to feeding the poor, is being commemorated to reflect the way she lived.

While she lived, Chumpa Singh assisted in the preparation and serving of 4 000 meals in Newcastle every month as a volunteer for ‘Food for Life’, a food relief program run by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

In honour of Chumpa’s memory, her husband, Bully Singh, has undertaken to provide a meal for members of the Newcastle Organisation for the Aged (Nofta) this March.

A family effort to feed the community

According to Bully, Chumpa initiated the Newcastle branch of Food for Life in their home. Chumpa cooked the meals and Bully and their children assisted in the distribution.

“This initiative is now being run from the Hare Krishna Centre, but my family still makes regular financial contributions to the cause,” said Bully, who describes his wife as remarkable and her cooking as legendary.

“She loved cooking and feeding others. No matter who came through our doors, they didn’t leave without a meal. Her cooking was well-known and she often received compliments about how tasty her meals were. Up to today, people still talk about her cooking and her baking.”

Supporting vulnerable members

Bully, once the secretary of Nofta, now serves the organisation as an honorary life member. Over the years he has observed that some of the organisation’s more vulnerable members are struggling financially and they look forward to the meal provided at gatherings and special events.

“This is why I want to honour my wife by providing a meal at Nofta,” he explained.

Honouring her compassionate spirit

Chumpa passed away on March 1, 2014, after a battle with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that develops in plasma cells in the bone marrow. Over the twelve years since her passing, Bully and his family have co-ordinated other feeding schemes and cancer awareness events to pay tribute to her generous spirit.

“When someone you love falls ill and you witness their suffering, that experience makes you more empathetic and more compassionate towards the suffering of others. When you go through something so difficult yourself, you can better relate to the suffering of others,” said Bully.

“People suffering from cancer need all the support you can give. If you know someone who has cancer, be there for them,” he concluded.

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