With stage 3 ‘stay at home’ restrictions reinstated for metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire, shopping locally has never been more important.
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas has launched a ‘Shop Local, Spend Local, Enjoy Local’ campaign, encouraging everyone in Kyneton, Woodend and across the Macedon Ranges to shop and spend with their local small businesses.
Just as everyone has a part to play in stopping the spread of coronavirus, everyone can play a part in helping support small businesses that have been hit hard as a result of the pandemic – and that’s by shopping locally.
Foodworks, IGA and the larger supermarkets, along with green grocers and local butchers, have been doing a fantastic job, providing fresh produce to the Macedon Ranges community.
From cafes, restaurants and takeaway, to retail clothing shops, pet stores, hardware, hairdressers, florists, optometrists and more – you can get everything you need right here in the Macedon Ranges.
Lots of businesses have adapted the way they’ve been working during the pandemic in order to keep the community safe – including adding takeaway, local delivery and Click and Collect.
People are invited to share their shop local experiences through social media, by snapping a photo of their favourite local café, restaurant, shop or local product, and uploading it to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #ShopLocalMacedonRanges.
The community can also show their support by using the Shop, Spend, Enjoy Local Facebook profile picture frame, which can be found on Ms Thomas’s Facebook page.
Movement into areas that are under ‘stay at home’ orders is inadvisable – and sometimes the best question to ask is not ‘Can I?’ but ‘Should I?’
If you can’t find something in Kyneton or Woodend, instead of going down to Sunbury or making the trip into Melbourne – locals are encouraged to take a drive to one of their surrounding Macedon Ranges towns to make their purchase.
While the rates of coronavirus remain relatively low in the regions, the risks of spread remains. Regional Victorians over the age of 18 are encouraged to use a face mask when they leave the house but cannot physically distance – including while shopping for essential supplies.
“I know that for many of our businesses, especially those that rely on visitors from Melbourne, have been hit hard by the coronavirus,” Ms Thomas said.
“That’s why it’s vital we come together.
“Our local small businesses have always been there when we’ve needed them – whether it be through sponsorship of our sports clubs or giving a helping hand to our community groups. Now is a critical time for us to return that support.”
