MCEC Raises Dough for the Good Friday Appeal 12 Years Running
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has once again joined forces with the Good Friday Appeal, serving up a showstopping 40-metre hot cross bun table at this year’s Kids Day Out – taking the term ‘raising dough’ to new heights.
The signature hot cross bun display, baked by MCEC’s experienced pastry team, delighted thousands of visitors at this year’s Kids Day Out, where families enjoyed Easter festivities while contributing to vital fundraising efforts for The Royal Children’s Hospital.
“MCEC is proud to play a role in this much-loved event. The Good Friday Appeal is a special day when we open our doors to thousands of families who come together to enjoy the Kids Day Out and support vital fundraising efforts for sick children across Victoria," said Chief Executive, Natalie O’Brien AM.
“We baked 6,000 hot cross buns to create the 40-metre display – doubling last year’s 20-metre table – and it sold out in just a matter of hours,” said Alessandro Bartesaghi, MCEC’s Executive Pastry Chef. To bring the impressive installation to life, 12 pastry chefs spent 48 hours preparing 500kg of spiced chocolate dough, incorporating 90kg of chocolate chips, 220kg of flour and 500 eggs. The large-scale bake resulted in light, chocolate-filled buns that delighted crowds throughout the event.
“There’s so much joy in creating something special that brings families together, and doubling the length of our hot cross bun table this year was an exciting challenge. We wanted every bun to feel like a little moment of delight,” Alessandro added.
The event raised a record-breaking $25,268,485 to fund life-saving care for children across Victoria. All funds raised through the Good Friday Appeal support ground-breaking research, family care programs and state-of-the-art equipment at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generous and long-standing partnership with MCEC, who have been supporting the Good Friday Appeal for 12 consecutive years. Their commitment goes above and beyond, by generously providing in-kind venue hire for all GFA requirements and hosting the return of the Channel 7 Telethon at MCEC,” said Good Friday Appeal Executive Director, Rebecca Cowan.
MCEC’s 12-year partnership with the Good Friday Appeal continues to play a vital role in bringing the Kids Day Out and the Channel 7 Telethon to life. Through in-kind venue support, the expertise of its event and culinary teams, and donations, MCEC helps create an unforgettable community event that unites Victorians in support of The Royal Children’s Hospital.