Cooking for Foodbank

REPRESENTATIVES from a number of Perth-based insurance companies donned their aprons and took up their tongs last week for the second annual Willis On Fire charity barbecue cooking competition.

The insurance brokers and their clients gathered on the Matilda Bay Foreshore to raise money for Foodbank WA.

Willis Group business development manager Norman Trethewey said early figures suggested the event raised about $10,000, well up on last year.

Mr Trethewey said the concept for Willis On Fire came about due to the recent popularity of reality cooking television programs - and the intense rivalry between insurance companies throughout Perth.

He said it made sense for the event to support a food-based charity, and this led him to learn about Foodbank WA.

“I had no idea there was this great problem across our state,” Mr Trethewey said. “We all think we live in a wealthy and progressive community, which to a large extent we do, but there are still those out there who are far less fortunate”.

Foodbank WA assists more than 55,000 people each month by taking unused food from supermarkets and restaurants and redistributing the produce to those in need.

For the record, QBE took out first prize at last week’s competition.