Good Bitches Baking Celebration of Kindness

Rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei,

tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

Nau mai haere mai ra ki te Whare Kawana.

I’m delighted to welcome you all here this afternoon for this special birthday party.

We celebrate many things here at Government House – success and achievement, contributions to our communities, national holidays and days of remembrance but I think that this is the first time we’ve had an event that’s celebrates kindness.

It’s so simple and yet it can be so meaningful; but the importance of kindness often falls off our radar and it is taken for granted.

Since inception five years ago, Good Bitches Baking has been spreading kindness. There have been well in excess of half a million moments of sweetness and joy distributed around the country and the organisation continues to grow.

You could say that the message has ‘gone viral’ and it has been enthusiastically adopted by 24 chapters throughout the country, with over 1600 active volunteers.  That’s a lot of cakes and scones!

The idea of sharing food to show our care and concern for others is something that all cultures share.

Food sustains and nourishes us, and when we offer it to others, it represents nurture, acknowledgement, affection and belonging. When we give the gift of food we’re letting the recipients know that they matter.

Earlier this year I was delighted to present Nic and Marie, the founders of Good Bitches Baking, with the insignia of a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. I congratulated them personally then.  Now I have the opportunity to do it again publicly.

Thank you both for your inspiration and effort.  Good Bitches Baking might have been something cooked up over a glass or two of bubbles, but the impact it’s had has been immense.  Some of the best ideas are simple ones and you have enabled so many New Zealanders to show others that they care in a wonderful and delicious way.  In fact I think you’ve achieved the magic formula of a ‘win – win’, where the donor-bakers and the recipients both feel the joy.

I know we have a number of Good Bitches here this afternoon who produce scrumptious baking on a regular basis.  So I thought it might be nice if we switched it around and did some baking for you all with this magnificent cake.

I can’t actually lay claim to being the Good Bitch baker myself, as  our chefs Simon, Yann and Vicki are responsible for this magnificent creation.  But I have no doubt that it will taste as good as it looks!

Author Henry James once said “Three things in life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” Good Bitches Baking has more than heeded those instructions.

Congratulations to Good Bitches Baking for achieving five years of kindness. I hope there are many more.

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.