A weekend of Wellington comedy will help Porirua community organisation WELLfed provide pantry packs for people learning to cook for themselves and their whānau.
WELLfed is partnering with the Wellington Comedy Club for shows on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October at The Fringe Bar in Te Aro, raising money for packs of basic ingredients that learners take home as part of their cooking courses.
Each Pantry Pack costs $81. The ingredients are intended to help learners keep practising what they have been taught, prepare meals at home and share their new skills with family and friends. WELLfed hopes to fill as many packs as possible through the fundraiser.
The charity runs free, practical cooking and life-skills education in Cannons Creek. Learners work with everyday ingredients and develop skills including planning meals, shopping on a budget, reducing food waste and preparing nourishing kai. Its classes also provide opportunities to build confidence and connections with others in the community.
Participants generally attend one class a week for 16 weeks. WELLfed provides volunteer-supported care for preschool children while parents and caregivers take part, helping remove a practical barrier to attending. Alongside the classes, WELLfed runs a community garden and skills workshops, with fresh produce used in its programmes.
The organisation began in 2016 after its founders met a Porirua parent who wanted to learn to bake muffins. When co-founder Kim brought ingredients to the woman’s home, she found the kitchen was empty. That experience helped shape a programme in which learning to cook and having the resources to use those skills are both important.
The comedy nights feature Joe Daymond, Jamaine Ross and Lily Catastrophe, with Bronson Toghill and Keegan Thomas among the other performers. Wellington Comedy is supporting WELLfed through the two-night event.
Both shows begin at 8pm at The Fringe Bar on Allen Street, Wellington. Tickets for Friday 16 October and Saturday 17 October are available through Eventfinda via the Wellington Comedy website.