Recently the trio held a fundraising dinner for their friend Sandra Trevethan, who runs a charitable trust in Malawi for children and youth with special educational needs.

For the chefs - Victoria Urbanik, Jane Garland and Louise Hicks – this was the second such dinner they have held for a charity that they know “works at a grassroots level assisting communities to build their capacity to help themselves and increase their quality of life”.

With the generosity of North St Café owner Drew Tweedie, the talents of the three chefs and a team of volunteer waiters - Eva Urbanik, Bree Anthony and Angelo Giuliani (a couch surfer) – the dinner was held at North St Café to support the Mwayi Trust.

“The trust is a small non-government organisation established by Sandra Trevethan, a past resident of South Durras, and a group of Malawians committed to assisting children and youth to access education and vocational training so that they may reach their potential and have a better chance of gaining employment and developing positive lifestyles,” Louise said.

To reduce huge class sizes and boost teaching and learning resources, the trust began a Homework Centre Program to help primary students with learning problems.

There are now six centres operating three afternoons a week.

Louise said the dinner not only raised the fantastic amount of $2500 for the charity but also raised awareness of the conditions and needs of children in developing countries.

“Next on the agenda for Mwayi Trust is the construction of a vocational training centre which will also train youth with disabilities,” she said.

“More than 150,000 bricks have been made and a donation from the International Association of Special Education means building will commence in August.”

Anyone interested in assisting or volunteering with the construction can contact Louise at North St Café.