Hold a High Tea to raise funds to keep women and children safe - www.mcauleycsw.org.au

Register Your High Tea: www.mcauleycsw.org.au/highteaappeal 

It is time to get out the fine China, rinse the tea pots, find your recipes for sponge cakes and chicken sandwiches and hold a High Tea to raise funds to keep women and children safe from family violence.

After its successful inaugural #HighTeaAppeal in 2015, McAuley Community Services for Women is calling on Australians to host a high tea during May and June this year.

They will be joined by Rebecca Maddern, Channel 9 AFL Footy Show co-host, who is Patron of the event  and whose favourite high tea tasting is thinly sliced cucumber served on brown and white bread without crusts, but with cream cheese.

Last year McAuley Community Services for Women supported 1,000 women and children last year by offering a safe haven and support.

Jocelyn Bignold, Chief Executive Officer of McAuley Community Services for Women, said: “This year we can already see the number of women and children coming to us for support has increased, especially women who are pregnant.”

“People are at a loss to know what to do, or how to help. Our High Tea, which last year raised $30,000, is a fun and easy way of helping. Last year we had high teas held on a train, on a beach  and, in a hotel. Anything is possible!”

McAuley Community Services for Women operates Victoria’s only accessible safe house open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing crisis accommodation to women and their children escaping family violence.

“The impact we make on these lives is enormous. Most of the families coming to us arrive with only the clothes on their backs and a bag in their hands. At the end of the week, they leave rested and ready to take their next steps, having had access to medical, legal and financial advice as well as emotional support from our specialist workers,” said Ms Bignold.

Contact: McAuley Community Services for Women on 03 9371 6600 or mcsw@mcauleycsw.org.au