Break out the fancy plates, it's teatime.
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On Thursday dozens of organisations and individuals across Tamworth celebrated the 30th anniversary of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, one of Cancer Council's biggest annual fundraisers, by hosting tea parties and raising tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research along the way.
The fundraiser launched at the beginning of the month, but morning teas are held throughout May and June, with the main event officially taking place on May 25.
"It's really great to be out in the morning and see the community band together. It's brilliant," Cancer Council Community Fundraising Coordinator Sarah Mayo-McCowen said.
She said this year there are 22,000 hosts across Australia, with 8500 of them registered in NSW.
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Many of the local area's morning teas have built up an extensive history, like the Somerton Tea, which has been running for 21 years.
"We have young and old helping us out, a lot of times these events are bit more old, but we have generations helping out," one of the Somerton tea's organisers Laurie Chaffey said.
Somerton's oldest morning tea tradition recently found new life, new carers, and a new venue, revitalising it after two decades of hard work from the tea's first organiser Edna McGrath.
The tea raised $8170.95 with the bulk of money coming from a single $5000 donation from longtime atten-tea Ted Sutton.
Ms Chaffey said no matter what the future brings, the Somerton community will continue to come out to support the annual fundraiser.
"Somerton people, they just get on and do it," she said.
Another long-standing tea that's recently passed on the torch is the West Tamworth Ladies Tennis Club's Biggest Morning Tea, which just celebrated its 24th year.
The club regularly raises a large sum for the Cancer Council, and members look forward to the tea every year.
"Over the past 15 years we've been given a very generous annual donation from the Calala Fishing and Social Club, which puts our tally up a bit," the tea's co-organiser Lorraine Bryant said.
The fishing group's $1500 donation on top of contributions from the three dozen people at the tea brought the tennis club's fundraising total to $3417.
"It started back when a tennis friend died of cancer so we do this every year for her ... I think everybody's been touched by cancer one way or another," Ms Bryant said.
Ms Mayo-McCowen said the money the Cancer Council raises mostly funds cancer research programs, but some of the proceeds also stay local, supporting programs like Tamworth's Inala House.
"Each morning tea has been as unique as the stories behind them, which is why we are promoting to host your way. Do your own thing and make it your own unique morning tea," she said.
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