New Wairarapa Cancer Society Centre manager Amber Arkell at a previous charity event in Wairarapa. PHOTO/FILE
Fundraising has proven difficult over the past two covid-riddled years but, with restrictions lifting, the Wairarapa Cancer Society is looking ahead to a brighter future.
Rival Wealth, a Masterton-based financial advice business, approached the organisation and offered to host a live auction fundraiser next month to help the charity after a tough few years.
Wairarapa Cancer Society centre manager Amber Arkell, a breast cancer survivor, said fundraising events were important because the organisation did not receive government funding.
“We offer services to those living with cancer in Wairarapa and in order to keep our services going we rely on community funding. It helps keep our doors open.
“A big cost for us is transporting patients to Wellington or Palmerston North for treatment. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles, but we cover petrol costs.”
Arkell said that the organisation also did health promotions such as advocating for the use of sunscreen or promoting smoke-free policies, as well as putting money towards research.
Rival Wealth co-owner Tim Fairbrother said the event was about giving back to the community.
“From our perspective, the cancer society is a big part of the community.
“They’ve had a tough time over the past couple of years with covid and not being able to get out there and do street appeals, so they’ve had to come up with other ways of getting the community engaged.”
Fairbrother said the charity was important to him because he said there was “almost nobody in New Zealand who hadn’t been affected by cancer” – including Aria, his business’ first employee, who died in 2015.
“It’s a cause dear to our hearts.”
Fairbrother said there will be about $20,000 worth of items and packages offered as part of the auction, from Pak n Save vouchers to a trip to Queenstown.
The auction would be held on October 6 at 5pm at the Copthorne Hotel in Masterton.
- Tickets are available at Eventbrite for $10 each.
