How to host a successful morning tea

Want to be a part of an Australia-wide celebration and raise funds for the Cancer Council’s important work? Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is great way to get involved.

Thursday May 23 sees the return of the Cancer Council’s annual event, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, and your opportunity to raise much-needed funds for cancer research, prevention, support programs and more. While we at Nerada are always happy to break out the best china and brew a pot of Australia’s finest tea, being part of a national event such as this – and for such a worthy cause – is a great excuse to gather friends, family or workmates and show off our baking skills over a cuppa or three. And there’s so much fun to be had at the same time! Here are our top five tips for hosting the best one yet.

ONE Don’t forget to register
It’s easy to sign up as a host for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea – and you’ll need to do so in order to set up your individual fundraising hub through the Cancer Council’s website. It’s a simple process of filling in an online form and in return, you’ll be sent a ‘host kit’ packed with info, party games, bunting and posters to help you to be a morning tea host with the most.

TWO Set the date and send out invitations
Make sure you give your Biggest Morning Tea guests plenty of notice by inviting them well in advance. While you might want to dazzle them with an entire morning tea menu, why not take some of the stress out of it by asking guests to each bring a plate. Most will jump at the chance to show off their teatime skills by baking a cake or biscuits, making a batch of sandwiches, or sourcing something delicious from a favourite bakery or food store. That way, you can concentrate on choosing which styles of Nerada tea you’ll be offering to your guests! And don’t despair if Thursday May 23 isn’t ideal for everyone – your morning tea can be held at any time through May and June.

THREE Choose a theme and set a scheme
While a morning tea is good enough reason for a gathering of any size, there are so many ways for hosts to add fun and interest to their event. It’s a chance to bring out your favourite tea service, to dust off that heirloom teapot or dress the table with your favourite tablecloth and flowers. It could be something as simple as choosing a colour for everyone to stick to – be it decorations, table settings and flowers, a dress code, or even the colour scheme of the food. Or why not set up a ‘blind-tasting’ of different Nerada teas, where guests can put their senses to the test. There are plenty of ideas and resources to use on the Cancer Council website, but really, the only limit is your imagination.

FOUR Cook up a storm
The theme of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is just the starting point – the chance to gather and raise money for a great cause – but don’t feel you have to limit yourself to teatime classics such as scones, biscuits and cakes. In fact, your morning tea may turn out to be a brunch, a lunch, or a picnic in the park or at the beach, so your menu choices can be anything you want them to be. The Cancer Council website has some great recipes to try from some of Australia’s finest chefs – from indulgent no-bake cheesecake to healthy teatime alternatives. And remember, a refreshing iced tea, such as Nerada’s Rosehip, Lemongrass & Ginger, chilled and stored in an esky, would make a lovely accompaniment to an outdoor morning tea menu.

FIVE Share the love on social media
Say it loud and say it proud – your fundraising efforts are sure to be well supported if you get the message out through Facebook and Instagram. If you don’t have an account, you can always post on the Cancer Council’s with the relevant hashtags – visit its website for more information. And of course, make sure you check out our own Facebook page for updates and posts about our own Biggest Morning Tea events at. If social media isn’t your thing, get the word out by putting an ad in your local paper or posting details on your community board. The more you put out, the more you’ll get back for this great cause, and that’s what being Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea host with the most is all about.