Kiwi’s Best change eases pressure on volunteers

This year Classic Events have taken over running Kiwi’s Best Kitchen, meaning volunteers have  less pressure on them.

Olwyn Downing started her journey at Kiwi’s Best in 2009. She leads two other volunteers, Judy McLennan and Pauline Chamberlain.

With the change of leadership Downing said they are the ‘backroom girls’ now.

“There was seven of us in previous years, and getting down to three I was a bit concerned. But everything is running smoothly,” Downing said.

Classic Events worker Marie Rechner said volunteers help out a lot.

“They have much more experience than us,” she said.

The volunteers help out with the setup on stage and  back kitchen, and if chefs need something they give volunteers an order.

As well as helping chefs out, volunteers also deal with technical issues.

One of the volunteers said this morning the water wasn’t going and one of the lights wasn’t working, so they had to deal with it.

That’s when it comes down to experience, Downing said she knows  other volunteers at  Fieldays who will help fix things.

“Because I’ve been involved in Fieldays for a long time  I know a lot of volunteer guys,” she said.

Outside of work all three ladies are farmers’ wives, and don’t have any professional culinary background.

Though volunteers aren’t professional chiefs, they often bring the baking to share with stuff.

“Her cheesecakes are divine,” sais Downing of her colleague McLennan.