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Canberra Today 18°/22° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Boys’ cookbook with a conscience

IT’S not just a cookbook that’s bound to get more dads in the kitchen – it will also raise money for a cause close to Wallabies’ captain and Brumbies star recruit David Pocock’s heart.

“It’s a Boy Thing: Recipes for Dad and Me” will be sold ahead of Father’s Day on September 2, and includes about 250 recipes from St Edmund’s College staff and students.

Most of the proceeds will go towards rugby union star David’s charity “Eighty Twenty Vision”, which supports communities in Zimbabwe living in poverty.

The idea for the book came from two St Edmund’s students, brothers Eamon and Lachie McCoola, in Years 5 and 6.

They say they were inspired to raise money for David’s charity after reading his biography, which told of his childhood in Zimbabwe before moving to Australia in 2002.

Eamon says the book raised the issue of kids his age living in poverty in Zimbabwe, and made him realise how “good life is here”.

“When we were reading the book it really made us sad how poor these kids are,” he said.

“We couldn’t really believe what they have to go through… walking eight hours just to get water, and they don’t have much food.

“We thought raising money through a recipe book would get everyone involved. It’s great how supportive everyone has been… I can’t wait to see people using the book.”

With help from their mother and through a fundraising publishing company, the boys have managed to get 1000 copies of their book published.
David, who has just signed a three-year deal with the ACT Brumbies and will join them in 2013 after moving from the Western Force, told “CityNews” he is proud that the boys “used their own initiative” to create the book.

“It’s great, seeing a response from people like this, being inspired to make something good happen,” he said.

“I think this is why it’s really important athletes are giving back to society. We benefit a great deal from society and it’s important we’re giving back in a meaningful way, that we be a good role model for kids and ensure what we’re doing is not just about sport, but going a bit further than that.”

David started “Eighty Twenty Vision” in 2009 because he wanted to “give back” to the country he grew up in after witnessing the general lack of food, electricity and opportunity there. He donates most of his income from rugby union to the charity.

Eamon and Lachie say they hope to one day meet David while he is playing for the Brumbies.

Copies of “It’s a Boy Thing: Recipes for Dad and Me” will be available from St Edmund’s College from August 20. The books are $25 each.

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