Volunteer Co-Cookathon Coordinator

Cookathons are everything for Bellyful. They’re regular gatherings of volunteers in a community kitchen, cooking hearty family meals - Beef Lasagne, Beef Bolognese Sauce, Macaroni Cheese, Tomato and Red Lentil Soup and Mild Vegetarian Curry - that will support local whānau.

About the Role

Bellyful Christchurch is looking for a Cookathon Coordinator to help lead our monthly cookathon at Christchurch Boys High School.

This could be a shared role, where two or more people work together to coordinate cookathons so they run smoothly. This includes organising volunteers, ingredients, and set up, creating a positive environment where people come together to cook meals for the community.

Cookathons are generally held around once a month, depending on branch size and demand. Planning, communication and the Cookathon itself usually mean this role takes several hours across the month, centred around Cookathon time and works best for someone who can make an ongoing commitment and be reliable.

You don’t need to be a chef, just organised, practical and comfortable leading a team. Cookathons are busy, social and often a lot of fun. There’s something special about seeing dozens (or hundreds) of meals lined up at the end of the day.

You’ll be part of a team bringing Cookathons to life, helping create a positive, welcoming environment where people can come together to cook meals for whānau.

You’ll also have support from the Bellyful NZ Service Development Lead, who works alongside branches to share ideas, support how things run, and help make things easier and smoother in the kitchen.

What You’ll Do

Together, you’ll help:

• Plan and coordinate Cookathons so they run smoothly
• Organise volunteers and create a welcoming, inclusive environment
• Ensure ingredients, equipment, and recipes are ready to go
• Support volunteers with clear roles and guidance on the day
• Ensure meals are prepared safely and in line with Bellyful’s health & safety programme, recipes and food system
• Work alongside the wider branch team to plan cook volumes
• Induct new Cookathon Volunteers

How It Works

This role is flexible and shared. You might split responsibilities by location, share tasks, or support each other during busy periods.

What matters most is clear communication, good organisation, and creating a positive experience for volunteers and recipients.

You’ll work closely with your Branch Coordinator, Recipient Coordinators and Cookathon volunteers, with support from Bellyful NZ.

What We’re Looking For

You don’t need to be a chef. We’re looking for people who:

• Enjoy bringing people together & care about supporting whānau
• Are organised and practical
• Communicate clearly and positively
• Are comfortable leading a group of volunteers

Time Commitment Around 8-10 hours per month each, depending on how the role is shared and the number of Cookathons.