After eight years of frivolous and serious fun with its Marmalade initiative, the Buninyong Marmalade Association has decided to cease operations.
A total of 860 entries were received from our Marmy Army of marmalade-makers throughout the length and breadth of Australia. $6,880 has been donated to Hospice and palliative care organisations from the entry fees The Australian XI has beaten the England XI 5 times, drawn once and been beaten twice.
The Committee wishes to thank all entrants - some of whom have supported the competition throughout. Many entrants have had to bear the burden of heavy postage bills to post in their entries while others have driven miles to deliver their entries. Still others have greatly supported the organisation with their donations.
All of these contributions have been most appreciated.
As has the work of our CWA judges, Barbara Porter, Sue Gass, Janette O'Keefe, Ann Marston, Lyn Fleming, Laurell Cockerell and Melanie Wityk. A particular thank you to Barbara Porter who initiated and carried out two remarkable banquets in Buninyong to showcase marmalade as well as raise funds for the competition.
For most of its years the event was self-funding through sales of marmalade, the banquet and donations. In its first three years, however, Ballarat City Council provided seed funding especially for our establishment costs. For many years they have also physically supported the Buninyong Marvellous Marmalade Fair, held in late January or early February, with the Mayor or a representative officiating. The Buninyong Community Bank has also assisted in funding this community event. Thank you.
But there comes a time for all good things to come to an end - so farewell and heartfelt thanks you from all the Committee.
Any enquiries regarding Buninyong’s Marmalade challenge please phone 5341 3947.
(The Marmalashes Committee formally wound up its proceedings in June 2018)
This website is being retained for historical reasons to commemorate the lively years of the Marmalashes and the Marvellous Buninyong Marmalade Fair.
Enter your citrus-based marmalade for judging and selection at the
Buninyong Marvellous Marmalade Fair
to be held in Buninyong on Saturday 3rd February 2018 at 1pm
Entries to arrive any time in January but by January 25th, 2018
An Australian Eleven will tour to England again in February 2018 - up against an England Eleven
Founder of the International Marmalade Awards, Jane Hasell-McCosh, has been brought to Australia to help publicise the messages that Hospice and Palliative Care organisations want us all to embrace.
Marmalade groups in both countries have supported Hospice and Palliative Care with all entry fees going to these organisations.
But they have a difficult message to get across to the community. Hospice and Palliative Care organisations want us all to talk to our family, loved ones and GP about what we each want with our end-of-life care. And they want us to discuss it sooner rather than later.
It's a heavy message for many people.
So Buninyong Marmalade is using its light-hearted, quirky, image as message 'carrier' to encourage everyone in the community to start the conversation with their family, loved ones and their GP. President of the Buninyong Marmalade Association, Russell Luckock, said that "While it may seem a hard conversation with those close to us there are many positives since end-of-life can be a peaceful, serene time and the aim of Hospice and Palliative Care organisations is to bring these positives to the forefront".
Jane Hasell-McCosh and her daughter Hermione, an international photographer, are travelling to various rural and remote centres to promote
"the conversation". Community meetings have been arranged for Ballarat, Nhill, Mildura, Swan Hill and St Arnaud and these are being complemented by media interviews and speaking engagements. These meetings are being supported be a grant from the Grampians Palliative Care Consortium and a brochure has been produced to promote both marmalade and the various Hospice and palliative care organisations.
"It just seemed an idea whose time had come to use the positive publicity received by Buninyong Marmalade's challenge to the Poms to promote a worthwhile conversation about our wishes for our end-of-life care", Russell concluded.
The Selectors will be at the next
Buninyong Marvellous Marmalade Fair
in Buninyong, near Ballarat, Western Victoria,
Saturday 3rd February 2018 at 1pm