MCEC Welcomes the Sweetest Good Friday Appeal Yet
By Maddi Devoy|
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and The Good Friday Appeal have joined forces for the 11th consecutive year, raising a record $23.8 million to support life-saving care for children across Victoria.
“We love opening our doors every year to welcome thousands of families to enjoy a day of fun and celebration, while raising much-needed funds for sick children across Victoria,” Chief Executive, Natalie O’Brien AM said.
“It’s a truly rewarding experience and you can see how much joy this event brings to the local community and the MCEC team,” Ms O’Brien added.
MCEC’s talented chefs played a crucial role in this year’s success, baking an astonishing 20 metres of hot cross buns, made up of nearly 3,000 buns.
Alessandro Bartesaghi, MCEC’s award-winning pastry chef said, “The Good Friday Appeal event is really close to my heart and I love creating something special for the children every year.”
“This year I really wanted to push the boundaries and try something we’ve never done before. And what a better way than baking the longest table of hot cross buns you’ve ever seen! I was inspired by Japanese baking techniques to create a very soft, delicious bun that everyone can enjoy,” he added.
In addition, MCEC’s interactive Ice Cream-o-Rama served 1,200 house-made ice creams. All profits from the sale of the hot cross buns and ice creams were generously donated to the Good Friday Appeal, further contributing to the remarkable total raised this year.
All funds raised from the event will contribute to groundbreaking research, family care programs and state of the art equipment at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
This year’s appeal also extended its impact across the state, providing a significant boost to regional paediatric health services at Barwon Health, Bendigo Health, Grampians Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Albury Wodonga Health and Latrobe Regional Health.
"For over 10 years MCEC has generously supported the Good Friday Appeal, providing the venue and services for our family fun event, Kids Day Out, the all important Phone Room and Money Counting Room", Rebecca Cowan, Executive Director of the Good Friday Appeal said.
"Thank you to Natalie O'Brien and the team at MCEC who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth delivery of this huge event, which allows the community to make a difference to the lives of sick children and their families".
The collaboration between MCEC and the Good Friday Appeal continues to demonstrate the power of community spirit.