Stratford Daffodil Day: 300 eggs and 22kg of beef go into sandwiches

The luncheon is always well attended. Pictured are some guests in 2019 enjoying their lunch.

Donna van den Beuken and Julie Erwood's shopping list is pretty large this month.

Items and quantities such as 300 eggs, 22kg beef, 60 loaves of bread, 1kg ham, 5kg grated cheese, 2kg mayonnaise, 6kg tomatoes appear on the list - it seems a lot but not when you are feeding more than 300 people, says Donna.

Donna and Julie are the Stratford Daffodil Day committee members responsible for organising the Stratford Daffodil Day luncheon, to which an average of 200-plus people come each year.

The shopping list covers the food required for that, along with the packed lunches co-ordinated by fellow committee member Colleen Moore that go to businesses and individuals who wish to support the day but can't make the luncheon itself. Last year, 122 packed lunches were made, with some delivered to businesses and others sold at the door at the luncheon itself for people to take home to other family members or colleagues.

Donna says fortunately, many of the items on the shopping list are generously supplied by sponsoring businesses including Countdown Stratford, New World Stratford, Bidfood, Tegel, Silver Fern Farms, Four Square Stratford and Yarrows.

It's a team effort when it comes to getting the lunches made and served, says Donna, with six or seven volunteers in the kitchen at the Stratford War Memorial Centre the day before the luncheon, and members of the public dropping off baking they have made to donate. On the day itself, about 15 volunteers are hard at work from 6am at the hall making the sandwiches, says Julie.

"The Stratford Golf Club ladies give their time making all the pumpkin soup, which is served on the day, while Stratford High School students help on the day clearing tables and helping people to their seats, while Stratford Lions club members set up the tables and chairs on the day."

The luncheon costs $12 a person, for which people get a cup of soup, a pack of sandwiches and two or three pieces of baking along with a cup of tea or coffee. The packed lunches are similar, minus the hot drink, while the soup is replaced with a couple of mandarins.

Any leftover food can be taken away by people for a donation, says Julie, with leftovers also donated to schools, charities or clubs. Last year all the leftover baking went to the Kai Kitchen Trust, helping fill over 100 lunchboxes the next week, she says.

Donna says the success of the day is thanks to the many volunteers as well as the people who support the day itself by coming along to the luncheon.

"It is very rewarding to see the end monetary result of the day and realise we have helped make Daffodil Day a success, knowing what the money is going to do to help cancer patients."