In a two year follow up, older women who participated in The Biscuit Tin project reported
a 20% increase in personal confidence and perceived autonomy;
a 40% increase in willingness to challenge gendered gerontism.
The Biscuit Tin Project - Facilitator Information
The rates of financial hardship, homelessness, violence and abuse for older women are increasing, driven by gendered gerontism (the form of ageism experienced by older people). We need to build respect for older women, and promote gender equality.
The Biscuit Tin project is an evidence based project promoting equality and respect for older women. A biscuit tin is an iconic, cross cultural symbol of older women's caring and nurturing. Older women told us they love the biscuit tin symbolism because they want to see their caring and nurturing roles recognised, alongside all the contributions they make. The project has 6 key activities:
We have developed a Facilitator's Kit and license for services and groups interested in facilitating a Biscuit Tin project. Check the links below for an Information Brochure for Facilitators and Jan Porter's paper on The Warmth of Respect here
The Biscuit Tin project is an evidence based project promoting equality and respect for older women. A biscuit tin is an iconic, cross cultural symbol of older women's caring and nurturing. Older women told us they love the biscuit tin symbolism because they want to see their caring and nurturing roles recognised, alongside all the contributions they make. The project has 6 key activities:
- Hosting a seminar for service providers in participating organisations
- Documenting older women’s stories about their contributions and experiences of respect
- Facilitating a workshop for older women to discuss gerontism, equality, respect and their strengths
- Documenting a Recipes for Respect resource to engage community
- Hosting a community launch
- Hosting an Alumni or further gatherings for women who participated - and an intergen activity.
We have developed a Facilitator's Kit and license for services and groups interested in facilitating a Biscuit Tin project. Check the links below for an Information Brochure for Facilitators and Jan Porter's paper on The Warmth of Respect here
The Biscuit Tin Evidence Base
An evaluation report has been released (here) on the pilot projects, and we are currently working on the two year follow up evaluation. Early data is positive and includes:
One facilitator also provided the following feedback: The project … really resonated with participants and the wider community [and] built respect in so many ways – self-respect for the participants, respect for the numerous roles that women have in our community, and respect for our work in local government.
Facilitators and older women also provided feedback on the need for optional activities following the workshop and community launch - older women wanted to continue meeting. In response, a Biscuit Tin Alumni has been established as an option - and includes an intergenerational activity exploring respect.
- 20% increase in older women’s personal confidence
- 20% increase in older women’s perceived autonomy
- 40% increase in older women’s willingness to challenging gendered ageism
- 100% relevance reported by local facilitators.
One facilitator also provided the following feedback: The project … really resonated with participants and the wider community [and] built respect in so many ways – self-respect for the participants, respect for the numerous roles that women have in our community, and respect for our work in local government.
Facilitators and older women also provided feedback on the need for optional activities following the workshop and community launch - older women wanted to continue meeting. In response, a Biscuit Tin Alumni has been established as an option - and includes an intergenerational activity exploring respect.
Facilitator's
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What Respect means |
Media Release
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Media Release
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Ambassadors
We are delighted to announce our Biscuit Tin Ambassadors, Dilnaz Billimoria, Shirley Glance OAM, Kay Hustwaite and Mariamma. These amazing women have participated in The Biscuit Tin project and are passionate advocates for the rights of older women.
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Recipes for Respect
A Recipes for Respect resource is an important output that captures older women's experiences of 'respect in action' and presents these recipes for respect alongside biscuit recipes. Click the images below to read the reports.
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In the media (and other disseminations)
Thank you to the journalists and writers who help share the important message of #TheBiscuitTin project, including the following:
- Compass Podcast: Creating a Recipe for Respect: here
- Australian Women's Weekly: Baked with Love (see below)
- New Idea Magazine (Megan Rowe): We're making Recipes for Respect here
- World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Stakeholder Pack 2025. Senior's Online Victoria here
- ECCV Golden Years. Popping open the Biscuit Tin here
- The Conversation. From cauldrons to cardigans. (article has been read 10,000+ times) here
- 9News (Mothers Day 2025): Feeding the Soul. here
- The Senior online (Rowan Cowley) April 4, 2025. Treasured family recipes send poignant message here
- Seniors Online Victoria. April 3rd, 2025. Recipes and stories from #TheBiscuitTin program. The program challenging ageism and sexism, one batch of biscuits at a time here
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Feedback
"In 2024, we partnered with Celebrate Ageing Ltd for #TheBiscuitTin project, to help raise awareness and valuing of the contributions older women make. This primary prevention project includes a workshop for older women to share their contributions and achievements, and the ways respect for older women is shown. The workshop I participated in was warm, diverse, uplifting and powerful. The older women bought very different life experiences and expectations to the workshop and connected through stories shared using the biscuit tin as a narrative canvas. Biscuits were shared as a sweet treat to accompany our cups of tea, and as a powerful reminder of our commonalities. We need a toolkit of a thousand resources to make the culture shifts needed to promote equality and respect for older women. The Biscuit Tin is one powerful resource in that kit, and we were proud to be part of it."
Debra Nicholl. CEO, Elder Rights Australia
Debra Nicholl. CEO, Elder Rights Australia
"Being part of the Biscuit Tin Project has been deeply meaningful for me. As someone living with disability and growing older, I’ve often felt like my story didn’t have a place—but this project changed that. It gave me a space to share my experiences with honesty and pride, and to be seen for who I am, not just my age or disability. Opening that metaphorical biscuit tin and adding my voice alongside others reminded me that we all carry stories worth sharing. This project celebrates the strength, humour, and wisdom that come with life’s challenges—and I’m proud to be a part of it." Shirley Glance OAM
"The Biscuit Tin Project is such an inclusive project, promoting Positive Ageing as well as showcasing older women positively ageing in their lives, families, community and society. The diversity across age, faith, culture, socio-economic backgrounds reflect the actual wealth of our community, in all its colour and vibrancy. Recipes For Respect or R4R as we call it in Whitehorse Council is the lasting legacy of The Biscuit Tin Project, a book which captures the wisdom, wit, humour, history and lived experiences of 12 capable, creative, clever and compassionate women, in their sixties to nineties, who speak of what Respect means to them. This collaborative project between Celebrate Ageing, City of Whitehorse Positive Ageing Team and the Wonderful Women of Whitehorse (WWOW!), shows the reader what it's like to open your favourite biscuit tin, unpack the sweet treat recipe and tackle issues that older women face, such as ageism, isolation, disrespect but also respect, engagement, connections and more. As a participant I have gained so much, sharing with the other women, forming a sustainable sistahood, listening and learning from these invaluable stories of courage and care. The Council teams have understood firsthand what it means to age, the support and encouragement needed and the strategies to put into action. This project has gone viral with so much interest from Seniors Groups, Media, Faith Centres, Cultural Groups and more. I have personally taken bags of the R4R book with me absolutely everywhere, distributing to Ministers, MPs, Commissioners, Mayors and Councillors, CEOs, Corporates, LGAs, NFPs, etc. It's always so well received, with free-flowing admiration for the beautifully designed book, it's participants and the project itself. Thank you Dr Catherine Barrett, Whitehorse Council and my fellow WWOW for giving me this opportunity." Dilnaz Billimoria
Partnerships
The Biscuit Tin project was developed by Celebrate Ageing Ltd and launched at the 2018 Embolden Festival. In 2024 the project was relaunched with The Older Women’s Network NSW, for the Older Women Count Campaign. After a successful project pilot, Celebrate Ageing Ltd launched an online Facilitator’s Kit and licensing for services and groups interested in facilitating the project.
