Target $13,000,000 for cancer research & patient support

$506,320

 

About

Our host heroes

Each year, the team at Cancer Council are overwhelmed by the incredible generosity, creativity and inventiveness of our morning tea hosts. So here, we’ve shared some of our host heroes from 2012, and they share their tips for organising a successful event.

Anna Gare

Dorothy Waldren (ACT)

    Ever since 1996, Forrest Hotel and Apartments has hosted an Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, alongside the nearby Forrest Primary School. They ask each child to make a gold coin donation, and this year, for a bit of fun, they hosted a Mad Hatter’s tea party! Dorothy says they are “inspired by everyone that has had cancer and survived such a dreadful time in their lives”. She says success lies in “getting the word out there”, “having everything ready to go when the doors open”, and “being organised”.

Anna Gare

Carly Whittaker, Chamber Connect (NT)

    In 2012, Carly decided to do a little more than her usual morning tea - and worked with Cancer Council to launch Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea in the Northern Territory. She held her event on The Esplanade in Darwin city and invited all of her colleagues, as well as people already registered to hold their own morning tea, and the general public. She was astounded when so many people turned up for a cuppa - and especially, how many turned up with their own homemade goodies to donate. “I loved how we could all sit around and talk about our own stories”, she says.

Anna Gare

PATCHES of Cooroy (QLD)

    PATCHES of Cooroy are a craft group that enjoy fun, friendship and helping a good cause! They have been supporting ABMT for many years in honor of a past member who lost her battle with breast cancer.  The patches ladies love to get together every month and are famous for their quilting which they make for various charity and community groups. Last year with the help from the tea cosy Queen Loani Prior, they learned how to knit the Daffodil Tea Cosy’s for ABMT. These will be featured at this year’s morning tea in Cooroy!

    Want to knit a gorgeous daffodil tea cosy for your morning tea? Download Loani Prior’s pattern here.

Anna Gare

Kay Cameron and Ann Percy (SA)

    2012 was Kay and Ann’s third year of hosting a Biggest Morning Tea. They hosted at the Hope Valley Sporting Club, which donated their facility free of charge for the day. Through ticket prices, games, raffles and door prizes, they managed to raise an amazing $3,645! Inspired by all their friends and family members who have faced cancer, Kay and Ann are very passionate about the event - and raise funds through entry fees, raffles, games, refreshments, general donations and even fashion and jewellery sales.

Anna Gare

Sydney Aquarium (NSW)

    In 2012, Sydney Aquarium hosted its very own underwater Mad Hatter’s tea party to help raise money for Cancer Council. Indulging in a high tea under the sea, Sydney Aquarium divers took the plunge in the huge two million litre Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium dressed as characters from the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, surrounded by some of Australia’s most magical and iconic marine life. All proceeds from marine animal inspired refreshments sold at Sydney Aquarium were donated to Cancer Council.

Anna Gare

Matthew Dehon, Crowne Plaza Darwin (NT)

    This was Matthew’s first morning tea - and he hosted it at work, in the staff canteen. He had 60 staff turn up and people brought in their own cakes and biscuits to contribute. He plans on making it an annual event in his calendar. To boost his fundraising efforts, he held a raffle throughout the hotel in the lead-up to the event and also had a gold coin entry fee. The Crowne Plaza Darwin also matched his fundraising efforts dollar-for-dollar. Matthew says he downloaded some posters from the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea website and made some of his own - to ensure everyone knew when and where the event was.

Anna Gare

Julie Hyde (SA)

    This was Julie’s first ever time hosting Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, and she hosted it at her farm in GreenPatch. The event is a tribute to her mother, Pauline, who passed away from cancer in November 2011. Fifty of her family and friends attended the event, and they raised an incredible $2,188. She says she arranged an auction, with donated goods from local businesses, gifts, vouchers, and plates of food!

Anna Gare

Bruce Simpson, Joe Fielding and John Wells (TAS)

    Bruce, Joe and John have been hosting Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea since 1998, and through the Penguin Veterans Golf Club, have raised an outstanding $46,780. Their success is due to the generosity of their local community and the unfortunate fact that too many of them have been touched by cancer. They charge an entry fee (which includes a day's golf), conduct a raffle, host a second-hand goods sale and auction off donations from local businesses.