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WI's charity drive aims to cook up interest

An exclusive diamond-mounted cooker, which has been produced to celebrate the diamond anniversary of Denman College - the Women's Institute-owned Residential Adult Education College near Oxford - is to be raffled online for charity.

Following an earlier tie-up between Stoves and the WI, the one-of-a-kind range cooker was specially commissioned by the home appliance brand in association with diamond jewellery specialist Seventy Seven Diamonds (www.77diamonds.com), to mark the college's diamond anniversary. It was unveiled on 23 September 2008 - the 60th anniversary of Denman College - and now the WI is holding a nationwide raffle with the cooker as the star prize.

The proceeds are being donated to Let's Cook!, a project run by WI volunteers nationally to teach young parents in disadvantaged communities how to cook healthy family meals - it is supported by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA).

The Stoves cooker has been finished with a specially developed 'diamond-effect' sparkling silver paint, but its centrepiece is a spectacular, certified half-carat diamond worth around £1,400, donated by Seventy Seven Diamonds. In total, the oven is worth well over £4,000.

Earlier this year, Stoves announced a long-term partnership with the Women's Institute which will see the brand and the WI work together on a number of projects including the refurbishment and launch of the WI Cookery School at Denman College early in 2009.

Denman College has nominated the national Let's Cook! scheme to receive proceeds from the auction as a special gift to mark its anniversary.

Anne Harrison, Chair of the Denman College Committee - and vice-chair of the National Federation of Women's Institutes - told Sapling.info: "Our 60th anniversary is an extremely momentous occasion and we are extremely grateful to Stoves and Seventy Seven Diamonds for creating such a unique charity show piece for the event.

"The cooker really is something special and will make a wonderful focal point in the winner's kitchen - after all, there can be few people in the world who can say they are the proud owner of a diamond-mounted oven!"

Denver Hewlett, Chief Executive of Stoves, said: "As a committed partner of the Women's Institute and Denman College, when we heard about the diamond anniversary celebrations we were determined to create something unique and special for them.

"This cooker is a world first for us but who knows, maybe one day diamond-mounted cookers will feature in our standard product range!

"With all money going to Let's Cook! - a brilliant scheme which has great practical benefits to many disadvantaged people across the UK - I'd encourage everyone to buy a raffle ticket."

Ira Kormind, Creative Director, Seventy Seven Diamonds commented: "Setting a diamond into a cooker is certainly something that we've never done before but it was an exciting challenge and the finished effect is striking.

"A diamond cooker is the ultimate luxury kitchen appliance - not only will it create a spectacular centrepiece in someone's kitchen, the auction will raise lots of money for Let's Cook! which is a very deserving cause."

The diamond cooker will be showcased at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham from 26th to 30th November on stand V120.

Published at Sapling.info: November 2008

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