Leliebloem House Child and Youth Care Centre has appealed to the community to support its Children’s Christmas Pudding Fund.
The centre, together with four other organisations – Friends Day Centre, Woodside Special Care Centre, Bel Porto School and Vera School for learners with Autism – are part of this annual fundraiser. The Children’s Christmas Pudding Fund has been running for 52 years.
Carla Stewart, spokesperson for Leliebloem, said their organisation has been part of this fundraiser for 25 years.
She added: “Each organisation can make between R20 000 and R30 000 if we sell the puddings. The puddings have been hand made by the charities, volunteers, schools, and the Athlone Pharmacy Diabetic 101 Walking Group assisted us this year.”
The first pudding mix happened in 1965 when Alex and Jean McGregor wanted to raise funds.
Friends each contributed a different ingredient, and so the first 12 large puddings were baked in family stoves and subsequently sold to generate some funding.
Today more than 2 500 puddings are produced annually, necessitating the supply of huge quantities of ingredients.
“The Children’s Christmas Puddings are mixed entirely by hand, in baths, according to Ms McGregor’s original recipe. Many children and adults come together for two days every year to weigh, pour, count, chop, grate, carry and mix, – quite a logistical nightmare, but all performed in an atmosphere of great jollity. The ingredients are split between the five charities and then we all source donations for this event,” Ms Stewart said.
The puddings are sold at R72 for small (500g), R105 for medium (900g), and R150 for a large (1.5kg).
Orders can be placed by contacting Claricia at 021 697 4947 or email administrator@leliebloem.org.za