Selwyn_Times: April 20, 2022

Wednesday April 20 2022 Selwyn Times 23
CONTENT MARKETING
Underprivileged school kids to benefit
from corporate cooks fine dining
fundraising dinner
Canterbury families struggling to meet the rising costs
for school uniforms, shoes, and classroom stationery,
are set to be assisted by a colourful fundraising dinner
featuring 15 of the region’s business leaders cooking in
the kitchen.
The Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose charitable
initiative is being run in conjunction with the
Christchurch City Mission’s Back to School
Programme, and brings together 15 of the city’s
philanthropic company bosses to cook up a feast for
guests dining at the Christchurch Town Hall.
This year’s fundraiser dinner takes place on May 28.
It will be the fourth year the event has been held, and to
date the dinners and participating corporate chefs have
raised some $345,000 for Christchurch City Mission
– with hundreds of young children across the region
benefitting from the support of their education.
Event supporters of Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose
can contribute donations through a givealittle page
under the Christchurch City Mission tag, while the
participating business leader chefs are also selling off
their allocated tables to generate additional funds. All
money raised goes directly to the charity.
Corporate figureheads signed up to participate in
this year’s boardroom buffet include: Brett Anderson,
Christchurch Casino; Andrew McSweeney, Service
IQ; Caroline Harvie-Teare, Vbase; Jennie Moreton,
Craigs Investment Partners; Noel Pinn, Sunergise/Todd
Solar; Francis Fitzgerald, Partners Finance & Lease Ltd;
Gary Erkell, Nova Energy; Anthony Barker, Southern
Monograms: Colin Mansbridge: The Crusaders; Jeremy
Dixon, Isaac Group, Nick Carter, Brannigans: Scott
Thelning, Cathedral Grammar; Michael Patterson, The
Commodore Hotel; Pete Whalan, Bayleys Canterbury
and Russell Benge, Davis Ogilvie.
Reminiscent from a scene out of the TV reality series
MasterChef, their culinary efforts are closely overseen
by professional industry chefs Tony Smith from Akaroa
Salmon, Richard Hingston from Christchurch Casino,
and Reon Hobson from Service IQ who are all on hand
to dish out advice and instructions. While the exact
menu is a secret until May 28, ingredients will feature
delectable salmon, beef, lamb, and chocolate across the
three courses.
Bayleys Canterbury Chief Executive Officer Pete
Whalan said Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose took
the corporate chefs out of their usual boardroom
‘comfort zones’ in a challenging commercial kitchen
environment to support an often-neglected sector of
society.
“Through Christchurch City Mission Back to School
programme we have the opportunity to help families in
real need give their children the best start to the school
year. With the generous support of Christchurch’s
business community, City Mission can help give
children in Canterbury the basic equipment and
clothing that they need,” said Pete Whalan.
“Like myself, many of the charity participants are
amateur home cooks, so donning true chefs’ whites
and working in a tight-knit professional kitchen really
ups the ante. But at the end of the day it’s all for an
outstanding cause and allows us to give something back
to the community in which we all live.”
Behind the scenes in Christchurch Town Hall’s
kitchen, the corporate chefs will be grouped into three
sections – each preparing and presenting an entrée,
main course, and dessert. Adding to the fun at the end
of the night guests, vote for their favourite course.
“This really amps up the competitive nature of the
CEOs out in the kitchen – along with which participant
has raised the most donations through their own
personal support networks,” said Pete Whalan with a
smile.
Offering Canterbury
families hope
Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose has underpinned the
Christchurch City Mission’s Back to School Programme for the
past three years, helping struggling families meet school costs
for uniforms, shoes and stationery.
Since 2019, 35 business leaders from Canterbury’s biggest
businesses have rolled up their sleeves going from the hot seat
to the hot plate, so that Canterbury’s children are given their
best practical start at school, and the education they need.
And we are doing it all over again.
Donate today
givealittle.co.nz/event/bayleysplateup2022
LEARN MORE AT:
bayleysplateup.co.nz
WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008