Bellyful gets the royal treatment

Nicola Cronin (left), Laura Hyde and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, prepare pre-cooked meals for charity organisation Bellyful, which provides dinners for families with young or critically ill children. Photo / Supplied

Napier woman Laura Hyde jokes she is practically royalty, "by association anyway", after meeting Prince Charles' wife, Camilla in Auckland earlier this month.

The Bellyful volunteer was joined by Napier colleague Aliesha Gordon, as well as 50 other Bellyful members from around the country for a cook-a-thon.

The national not-for-profit organisation was founded in 2009 and delivered precooked meals to families with new babies or young children who were critically or terminally ill.

There are now 18 branches throughout the country who meet regularly to cook meals that are frozen before being delivered within communities.

Ms Hyde traded in her usual cook-a-thon attire of trackpants and a baggy T-shirt for her finest before tying up a signature Bellyful apron, which the Duchess also chose to wear.

After practising her curtsey in anticipation of the Duchess of Cornwall's arrival, Ms Hyde said, "It was just like hanging out with your grandmother really. We were given rules before meeting her, but it was actually quite informal."

Camilla first joined the women in the kitchen before meeting with new mothers and their babies who had previously benefited from Bellyful's services.

Her royal highness went on to enjoy an afternoon tea with the group and Ms Hyde said "for somebody of that level to recognise us was a huge honour".

Bellyful founder and chairwoman Jacqui Ritchie said it was a wonderful opportunity to show the world some "Kiwi community spirit that we are so proud of".

Bellyful volunteers understood the challenges of having a newborn as well as other children and career demands on top of that. A delivered home-cooked meal can be a real sanity saver.

The service does not operate as a foodbank but delivers to working mothers as well as those who choose to stay at home. Bellyful staff around the region do all of their own fundraising locally.