Christmas Appeal: Salon raises $500 - and counting - selling mum's recipe book

A local hairdresser is bringing people together through food, for food.

Blow Hair Co has raised $500, and counting, for the Tauranga Community Foodbank through a lockdown-project recipe book of home baking, being gobbled up by clients.

The money raised from the book will go towards the Bay of Plenty Times' annual six-week Christmas Appeal, in partnership with Gilmours Wholesale Food and Beverage Tauriko, for the Tauranga Foodbank.

Aarron Fenwick co-owns the salon with Philip McKinnon.

His mum had been making treats for clients getting their hair done for 12 years.

He said his mum's baking had been popular with customers for years, and they had been humbled with how their hair community had come together for the cause.

"We're happy to do anything," he said.

Having felt the impact as a business during lockdown, he said they were lucky to bounce back with their loyal customers, and it was important to support those still struggling.

Fenwick's mum, Jenny, said she was "so surprised" by the popularity of the book of treats she had been making over the years for clients to enjoy with their coffee.

Blow Hair Co's Aarron Fenwick is selling a book of the popular recipes his mum's been making for customers for the Foodbank appeal. Photo / George Novak

Her repertoire included dozens of goodies, from slices and cakes to truffles, and she found herself typing up the recipes and emailing them to the clients, who also continually suggested she made a book.

"During the lockdown, I thought I might do that recipe book."

The book cost $10 to make and was sold for $15, with all profits to be donated to the Foodbank, chosen after the demand for service soared as a result of the pandemic.

"Through food, we've been able to fund something that's food-related and helping people."

Initially, 100 books were printed which sold like hotcakes, raising $500 for the Foodbank, now there are another 100 copies on the way.

"We'll just keep doing it until no one wants to buy them anymore."

Only half of the recipes she had made for clients over the years made it into the book and while a second book was possible, she didn't want to make any promises.

"One client was gutted that my shortbread recipe wasn't in there."

The first owner of the book was none other than Chelsea Winter, who Jenny said she didn't recognise while she was getting her hair done.

"I just said - here you go, hot off the press," and handed it to Winter.

When she realised who it was, she said she wanted to take it back: "I was so embarrassed," she laughed.