The Country Women's Association has been linked to tea and scones for decades.
Normally at this time of the year, CWA members from around NSW would be using using that fame to serve and sell about 50,000 scones at Sydney's Royal Easter Show, but the event's cancellation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic left the association without a major source of fundraising income.
The CWA, which has run the tea room at the show for more than 70 years,raising about $150,000 a year, had to come up with some ways to help bridge the funding gap and decided on the 'virtual scone'.
So, instead the CWA is now asking people to go on to its online shop and purchase a plate of virtual scones for $5, a Devonshire tea for $10, a dozen plain virtual scones for $20 and a whole batch of cyber delicacies for $50.
Anyone who makes a donation in this way will also receive a downloadable copy of the CWA's famous scone recipe to try their hand at whipping up some of these much-loved treats at home.
Cynthia Williams, the president of the CWA's Wagga day branch, has appealed for city residents to support the fundraiser.
"There's no doubt the show's cancellation was an enormous disappointment and not only from a fundraising perspective," Ms Williams said.
"The Easter Show tea room is a big part of our heritage and this year would have been our 73rd year in running it. Hundreds of volunteers from across the state, and from our area, assist over the two weeks it is operational each year.
"Obviously it's also a big disappointment for show-goers, too, and the organisers who work so hard to stage the event each year.
"But, at the moment all of our lives have had to change, and we are adapting along with everyone else. So, with technology playing such a huge role in helping us make the changes required, we decided to use it to our advantage and are now offering people the chance to buy a 'virtual scone' from the CWA of NSW website, or even a whole 'virtual' Devonshire tea."
To purchase a 'virtual' sweet treat and scone recipe, go to https://shop.cwaofnsw.org.au/
