Sweet thought for charity

A gingerbread house could be yours for Christmas through this year's charity fundraiser organised by Mount Maunganui's Cafe Suisse.
For the third year in a row the cafe has created a gingerbread house and it is to be the prize for a raffle, for which tickets are on sale now.
Previously the gingerbread house has been auctioned off, but in an effort to raise more money for charity the organisers have decided to make it a raffle this time.
Designer and baker of the gingerbread house, Geoff Herd, said in previous years the winner has decided on the charity to benefit, and last year $250 was raised for Riding For The Disabled. This year the runner-up will get to make the decision.
"We just felt that would be nice for somebody who didn't get the house," Mr Herd says.
He says it took a couple of hours to make the culinary work of art and it had a shelf life of six to eight weeks.
The interest in the house has been great so far, he says.
"We've got the house on display so that actually pulls people's attention to it," he says.
Meanwhile, he's also been busy creating 20 smaller versions of the house to supply the demand for the unique Christmas treat.
Raffle tickets will be sold right up until December 23 and the draw will be held on the late afternoon of that day. The winner and runner up will be informed by phone immediately after the draw, and the house can be picked up before 3pm on Christmas Eve.
Raffle tickets are $2 each and available from Cafe Suisse, The Cruise Deck, Mount Maunganui.