Open Your Hearts This Christmas

Open Your Hearts This Christmas
Kiwi celebrities are dusting off their pinnies and getting ready to bake up a storm in support of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal.

Celebrity bakers include Antonia Prebble, Sacha McNeil, Hilary Barry, Jack Tame, Michael Meredith, Simon Gault, Al Brown, Paul Ego, Jesse Mulligan, Jono and Ben, Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts.

The full line-up will be announced at the end of November by the Baking Industry Association of New Zealand, the organisation behind the campaign.

Each celebrity is baking a batch of six pies. They will be auctioned on TradeMe from November 28-December 4 at trade.me/christmaspies. All funds go to the Salvation Army appeal and TradeMe has waived its success fees.

Baking Association president Kevin Gilbert said: “Every Christmas thousands of Kiwi families struggle to meet their basic needs, let alone buy gifts for their family.

“It can be a grim, stressful, and solitary time. Can you imagine being in a position where you have to explain to your kids that Santa won’t be coming that year?

“The Salvation Army does a fantastic job supporting families and individuals across the country with Christmas meals, food hampers, presents and vouchers.

“We thought the Christmas mince pie celebrity bake-off would be a fun, and exciting way to raise money and awareness for a great cause. We can’t wait to see the different twists that the celebrities put on this classic festive treat.”

Salvation Army community engagement manager Rhondda Middleton added: “Christmas is a hard time for the families that we work with. The added costs of the celebration, along with kids on holidays and then meeting back-to-school needs, is immense.

“To be able to support and relieve some of the stress that these families are carrying at Christmas is a privilege. It is only made possible with the support of events like this that help to raise the many resources required.”

Each year the Salvation Army helps more than 17,000 disadvantaged or socially isolated families and individuals at Christmas.

Help includes budgeting advice, advocacy and counselling, as well as food hampers, presents and vouchers for families who need particular assistance over Christmas.

Alongside the celebrity bake-off, the Baking Association will run a Christmas mince pie baking competition via Facebook and Twitter.

The Baking Association page will be regularly updated with information about Christmas Mince Pies for Charity: facebook.com/BakingindustryNZ

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