A High Tea Helping Make Cancer Care Possible
On a two-hectare property in Berry Springs, a verandah becomes a place to share food, enjoy company and raise funds.
Each year, Mary and members of the CWA of the Northern Territory Litchfield branch transform her home for the CWA Annual High Tea on the Verandah.
Long tables are set with linen, fine china, tiered plates and small vases of flowers. Guests are greeted with a glass of bubbles or homemade punch, then settle in for food, raffles, auctions and connection.
What began as a simple idea from a conversation, has grown into a much-loved fundraiser for the McGrath Foundation.
“Everybody knows somebody who’s had some sort of cancer.” – Mary
This year will be their sixth high tea, which now welcomes 72 guests. It’s a highly sought-after event that’s always booked out.
The event is built on community support. Members prepare food in Mary’s hygiene-approved kitchen, serve, set tables, donate items and help behind the scenes. Mary’s husband prepares the verandah, parks cars in his pink shirt, and runs the auction with flair.
Everybody knows somebody who's had some sort of cancer
- Mary
Local businesses and supporters donate prizes, food, and unique handmade items.
That community support is a key part of Mary’s advice for other fundraisers:
- Start planning early.
- Ask for specific, manageable donations, like vouchers or an ingredient.
- Make it easy for people to help in a way they can manage.
Mary says it is also worth asking widely.
“I have great success with our local entity politicians and our council people. They also give us some support as well.” - Mary
To spread the word, Mary and her fellow organisers used their networks, social media and posters. For tickets, they used Eventbrite, which helped manage numbers and often attracts people searching for local events.
For the high tea, knowing numbers matters. There are no drop-ins, because every seat and plate is meticulously planned for.
The auction has become one of the most successful parts of the day, adding plenty of energy and entertainment. Even homemade jam can become a prized item when people are bidding to support the McGrath Foundation.
For Mary, every bid is about more than raising funds. It is about helping people access care when cancer touches their lives.
That cause is deeply personal.
“I’m a nurse originally, so I have cared for patients with cancer.” – Mary
Years ago, she spent time caring for her aunt, who had breast cancer. Even with her nursing background, Mary remembers how difficult it was to support someone she loved without the right resources around them.
That experience has stayed with her ever since.
It also shaped her understanding of how important McGrath Cancer Care Nurses are, especially for people living outside major cities.
“We don't want to have to go somewhere else to get the support and care that we need.” – Mary
The McGrath Foundation is taking their expert care to all cancers, helping more people access the support of a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse.
For Mary, fundraising for that care means helping more people receive support closer to home.
“I just see it as being such a vital key in people's care.” – Mary
Every ticket sold, every raffle prize donated, every plate prepared, and every auction bid helps make that care possible.
And each year, around one verandah in Berry Springs, a community comes together in generosity—to help grow that care.
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