Ready, Set, COOK!
Our Family Dinner Programme is a rewarding way to help the families staying with us
Do the Family Dinner Programme in Christchurch
Our Calendar
By taking part in the Family Dinner Programme, your company, organisation or group will ensure that families can enjoy home-cooked, nutritious meals together at a time when they need them the most.
The House in Christchurch has full kitchen facilities, just like the ones you have at home, including five ovens and a barbecue so you won’t need to bring any cooking items with you.
Please note that all meals must be prepared onsite. Your group kindly supplies the ingredients for the meal, however we will let you know about a week before your selected date if we have an excess of any produce that you may wish to use.
On average, you would be catering for 40 to 60 people, including your team. As the numbers staying in the House changes very quickly, we recommend you give us a call the day before you take part in the programme to get a more accurate estimation of how many people you will be cooking for.
We suggest a maximum of six people cook the meal to enable the team to work easily within our kitchen facilities. It also ensures families aren’t overwhelmed.
If there are more than six of you who want to get involved, you can book out several nights in a row and have a cook-off.
This is your opportunity to rustle up all your culinary skills and create a two-course menu consisting of a main meal and a dessert. When selecting a menu try to choose simple meals that incorporate children’s tastes, while still being nutritious. You may wish to have a bit of fun and incorporate a theme e.g. dress up as Superheroes or a cuisine theme e.g. Mexican.
Visitors are welcome in the House from 9am to 9pm each night, all visitors will be asked to sign-in on arrival.
We ask that visitors remain in the communal space and do not enter the guest bedrooms All guests and their visitors must be infection free. As many of the children staying in the House are seriously ill and undergoing treatment, guests who have been in contact or diagnosed with chicken pox or shingles, or who have had an episode of vomiting, diarrhea or flu-like symptoms in the last 48 hours will not be allowed to enter our facilities.
COVID-19 Precautions
If you, someone in your family or someone you have been in contact with has been tested for Covid-19 in the past 14-days or have been told by a healthcare provider or public health official that you should self-quarantine due to potential Covid-19 exposure, or that you are suspected of having Covid-19, you will not be allowed entry to the Christchurch House.
It is preferable that you aim to have dinner served at 6pm.
After you have served the families we encourage you to sit down and enjoy the meal with them.
Some families will not be able to make dinner service and will request a meal be kept aside for them. These meals are plated, covered in cling wrap and stored appropriately – our overnight supervisor will assist your team with this and the dinner set up.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room, Southland Hospital does not currently have a regular Family Dinner Programme. However, there are still many ways you can help keep tummies full by donating towards the purchase of meals, or providing frozen meals. Contact our Family Room Supervisor to find out more.