Waikato Business News November/December 2016

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS November/December 2016 51
True Colours
Melbourne Cup Long
Lunch a winning day
Hundreds of people joined True Colours Children’s
Health Trust at their annual fundraiser event -
The Kerr & Ladbrook Long Lunch to celebrate
Melbourne Cup Day in style.
Anne Marie Case-Millar, Toni Hamlin and
Jen Campbell caught in the act
Held each year at the Atrium
Wintec, the event has become
synonymous with the
Melbourne Cup in Hamilton, with
the event selling purely by word of
mouth.
“The Friends of True Colours
Committee work really hard to put
on a great event that offers plenty
of entertainment and value to
those that attend” says Long Lunch
Coordinator Sarah Rawcliffe. “The
event has a wonderful reputation
which meant we didn’t have to
advertise the event at all this year,
as people return year after year
and tell their friends and then they
want to come too.”
Leading the large group of sponsors
that make this event possible is
Kerr & Ladbrook Catering. For the
past 4 years, they have been the
principal sponsor of the event dishing
up a gourmet three course lunch
for the 300+ crowd. The event fits
with what Kerr & Ladbrook Catering
Kerr & Ladbrook Catering preparing lunch for the 300+ crowd
is all about: quality, professionalism
and a bit of fun. “It’s a glamorous,
fun day for a very worthy cause and
it’s really nice to be able to help
raise a lot of money” says Lisa Kerr.
“The day has the added attraction
of the Melbourne Cup which adds
to the buzz on the day. It’s also
great to see a room full of a lot of
our existing customers having a fun
day away from the office.”
The Kerr & Ladbrook Long Lunch
is a wonderful example of a community
organisation working together
with businesses to create
not only a memorable event but
also to raise valuable funds. “The
local business community really
get behind this event and we are
incredibly grateful and humbled
by the support that we receive
each year” says Cynthia Ward,
True Colours CEO.
The day was MC’d by comedian
Ben Hurley, with entertainment by
local band Hair of the Dog, and Dynamica
Violin Duo. The always
popular Fashion in the Field was
well attended, with plenty of
stunning fashions on show. There
were plenty of auction items on
offer, these alone raising over
$40,000 on the day. Again this
was only possible due to businesses
and individuals sponsoring
some amazing items for the
crowd to bid on.
While the event is all about
having a wonderful time, it’s
also an opportunity for people
to learn more about True Colours,
why it exists and the work
they do. Each year a parent is
invited to speak to the crowd
to give a personal insight into
what it’s like to have a child
with a serious health condition.
This year, Sarah Verran shared
her journey with her daughter
Ruby speaking of her diagnosis
of Craniopharyngioma, a type
of brain tumour, and her rehabilitation
following the removal of
the tumour.
The total amount raised for the
event has just been confirmed at
a record breaking $100,452. “We
didn’t know if it would be possible
to beat last year’s result of $91,000
but thanks to the generosity
of everyone involved we have
achieved an amazing outcome”
Sarah said. “It makes all the hard
work worthwhile knowing that we
have raised such a sizable amount
of funds for True Colours, and what
that means for them and the families
they support”.
Fashion in the Field winners Murray Williams(Starr Tours)
and Tony Kerapa(Lugton’s)
True Colours was established in
2004 with a vision of helping seriously
ill children and families in their
time of need. They have supported
over 1400 children and families
that may otherwise have had to
walk their ‘journey’ alone. If you
would like to learn more about True
Colours and the work they do, visit
www.truecolours.org.nz
Thanks to our media partner
Waikato Business News for
sponsorship of this advertisement
TO ALL OUR AMAZING SPONSORS THAT MAKE THE KERR & LADBROOK LONG LUNCH POSSIBLE
Thank you!