Alana Lowes Australia's Biggest Morning Tea Interview

Alana Lowes Australia's Biggest Morning Tea Interview

You can help those affected by cancer this May or June by bringing your family, friends or workmates together for morning tea, in support of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.

It is estimated that 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85. Sharing a social cup of tea and some delicious food, while fundraising, is a simple and fun way to help support the work of Cancer Council.

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is one of Cancer Council's leading annual fundraising events. Now in its 23rd year, the official event date is Thursday, 26th May, and morning tea fundraisers can be hosted throughout May and June.

Cancer Council Australia CEO, Professor Sanchia Aranda, said Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is a fun way for Australians to support Cancer Council.

'Throughout May and June people across Australia will be gathering to share their Australia's Biggest Morning Teas. A morning tea is a great excuse to get your family, friends, work colleagues and even community together for a great cause! I encourage everyone to get involved, be it hosting a morning tea, attending an event, purchasing merchandise or simply making a donation. All funds raised help fund Cancer Council's life-saving cancer research, prevention programs, and support services for cancer patients and their families."

Having supported Cancer Council's Daffodil Day since 2011 and raising over $3 million, Cancer Council is excited that Coles Express will partner with Australia's Biggest Morning Tea this year, helping to make the event bigger and better than ever before. Australians can support Australia's Biggest Morning Tea at Coles Express stores nationally.*

With one Australian diagnosed with cancer every five minutes, funds raised from the event support Cancer Council's vital research, prevention and support service programs.

This year, Cancer Council is aiming to raise $13.8 million in donations, with every small contribution assisting our work across Australia:
$5 – helps Cancer Council reach out to a newly diagnosed cancer patient, with support and information resources to help them navigate their cancer journey.
$25 – fund resources to support GPs and health professionals advising patients on cancer prevention, screening and diagnosis.
$50 – ensures a cancer nurse is available on our free, confidential telephone service (13 11 20) to offer support on all aspects of cancer.
$100 – allows Cancer Council to support childcare centres and primary schools taking part in the National SunSmart Schools Program.
$500 – helps fund the provision of a telephone and web-based support group facilitated by trained peer volunteers and health professionals.
$1000 – contributes to our ground breaking research into new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

Getting involved is easy. Register at biggestmorningtea.com.au or call 1300 65 65 85, to receive a free host kit packed with fundraising ideas, party tips, mouth-watering recipes from celebrity chefs and everything you need to get started. Then get a group together and put the kettle on, to make your cuppa count.

In 2015, Australia's Biggest Morning Tea raised over $13.5million which helped to fund life-saving cancer research, prevention programs, and to provide much needed support for cancer patients and their families.

Every morning tea matters, so whether it's a coffee catch-up with the girls, a workplace get-together or a school bake sale, you'll help make a big difference to the lives of thousands of Australians affected by cancer each year. If you're not able to host a morning tea, there are other ways to show your support, like sponsoring a morning tea host, donating directly to Cancer Council, or purchasing limited edition merchandise.

The official date for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is Thursday May 26th but you can host a morning tea anytime throughout May or June. Make time for what matters and register today.

Register now to receive your free host kit. Text MORNING to 0487 222 555. For more information, visit biggestmorningtea.com.au or call 1300 65 65 85.

Cancer Council is the nation's peak non-government cancer control organisation. Cancer Council Australia and its members, the state and territory Cancer Councils, work across the full spectrum of cancer, including patient support, public education, prevention campaigns, clinical guidelines, public policy and research. Cancer Councils are Australia's biggest independent funders of cancer research investing, with our research partners, more than $70 million in 2015.

For more information and news from Cancer Council, visit:
cancer.org.au
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Five Hosting Tips For Your Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

Jen Bishop, the blogger behind interior design website Interiors Addict, will be injecting some creative flair into this year's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea as an ambassador, having lost her mother to cancer. Throughout May and June, Jen is popping on the kettle across Sydney and shares her top tips on how to host a stylish Biggest Morning Tea:

Keep it simple. Choose a colour scheme of perhaps two hues – and then stick to it. Bring the colours in with napkins, flowers, table runners or ribbons around cakes.
Go whimsical. Mix and match with vintage china (scour op shops or your nanna's kitchen) and flowers in jam jars. This is an easy and effective way to theme your event!
Let the food do the talking. Make or buy gourmet doughnuts or a variety of amazing cupcakes.
Choose rustic and simple. Cover your table in brown kraft paper and use vases overflowing with green foliage. Write cake varieties on mini chalkboards.
Forget the traditional cuppa. Create a visual feast with jugs and dispensers of fruity and floral iced teas.


Jen Bishop is the blogger behind Interiors Addict, one of Australia's leading online publications about interior design, homewares and creating a stylish home on any budget. Her slogan is 'style without the snobbery". What started as a hobby has been her full-time job for 3 years now. A former journalist, Jen is a self-confessed neat freak who absolutely lives and breathes interiors, never stops rearranging her own furniture and believes in adding personality to a home by creating layered interiors that say something about the people who live in them. Jen loves cushions, fresh flowers, vintage marble-topped tables and pops of colour, and thinks a good rug can make or break a room.

Interview with Alana Lowes

Question: What is Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is a Cancer Council event. It's a chance to gather together your nearest and dearest over a cuppa and some yummy food to raise vital funds and awareness for Cancer Council.


Question: What is your goal, for this year's Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: Each year I work with Cancer Council my goal is to help inspire more people to get involved, be it hosting or attending an event. Every extra donation counts. It's a very fun way to help do my bit. And of course, I just love morning tea!


Question: Is this your first year participating in Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: I have been an ambassador for Cancer Council and Australia's Biggest Morning Tea for the past five years. I find it really rewarding and I just love encouraging people to get involved in foodie events. You can find out more about my work with Cancer Council here: https://www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/about-the-event/our-ambassadors/alana-lowes/

Question: Why did you decided to get involved in Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: I got involved in Australia's Biggest Morning Tea because I wanted to lend my support to help raise awareness and participation in Australia's Biggest Morning Tea. I also wanted to share many delicious recipes for everyone to enjoy!


Question: What do you have planned for Thursday 26th of May?

Alana Lowes: I will be attending an Australia's Biggest Morning Tea event at The Stamford Plaza in Brisbane, Queensland. I hope to meet many wonderful people, hear incredible survival stories and enjoy the beautiful food.


Question: What food will you be enjoying?

Alana Lowes: I was lucky enough to be invited to The Stamford event last year where they hosted a Mad Hatters Tea Party morning tea. Who knows what fabulous event they have in store for us this year!? I hear it is nautical theme!


Question: What advice do you have for Australian's hosting their own Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: Make time to enjoy the company of your guests - don't get stuck in the kitchen. Pre-prepare as much as possible, or even better, ask everyone to bring a plate to share.


Question: Can you share with us a recipe that you'll be making for your own Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: My roasted garlic and white bean tartlet is famous among my friends, healthy, a great party starter and totally delicious. You can find the recipe here: biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraising-ideas/Recipes/roasted-garlic--white-bean-tartlet


Question: How can Australian's donate to Australia's Biggest Morning Tea?

Alana Lowes: Australians can register to host their own morning, buy some merchandise or donate online at biggestmorningtea.com.au. Don't forget, you can donate or host your own morning tea anytime throughout May or June.


Interview by Brooke Hunter