Dinner date to raise funds for Nepali quake relief

Peter Gibbs says a formal dinner in June will be the next big fundraising push for the Bay of Plenty Nepalese Association. Photo / John Borren

A fundraising dinner will give Bay people the opportunity to do their bit to help build a school or hospital in Nepal.

Donations to the Bay of Plenty Nepalese Association have totalled more than $20,000 since the earthquake which devastated the nation.

A formal fundraiser dinner in June will be the next big fundraising drive for the group.

Lady June Hillary will attend the dinner and Waikato University Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar and soprano Blaire White will perform for the crowd of 200.

What you need to know:
When: Saturday, June 27, 7pm
Where: Kiwi 360
Price: $50/person or $350 for table of eight
Tickets: Phone 07 573 6340 or email cafe@kiwi360.com

Peter Gibbs, who runs the Nepalese Consulate in New Zealand, said the funds would go towards building a school or hospital in a village in Nepal.

The local Nepalese community wanted to provide a long-term solution with the money they raised so had spent the past month collecting and planning.

"It's a real opportunity for Bay of Plenty people to have a connection and create a story that's ongoing," Mr Gibbs said.

Down the track, Bay people could go and visit the finished product and even volunteer or help out, knowing they had helped to make it a reality, he said.

The local Nepalese community was humbled by the support from the Bay as the country struggled to cope more than a month after the first earthquake.

The Nepal Earthquake Relief Dinner would be held at Kiwi 360 on June 27 and would feature traditional Nepalese food cooked by a Nepalese Indian chef, cultural Nepalese dances and performances by Miss White.

Miss White, who went to Nepal prior to the earthquakes as a recipient of the Step Higher award, said it was an "absolute privilege" to be able to support the fundraising efforts.

"I cannot imagine how distressed the Nepalese people living in New Zealand must be at this time.

"Travelling to Nepal was an eye opening experience for me. The Nepalese people are so friendly, unassuming and hard working.

"I got to visit local schools in the Khumbu region which were built by Sir Edmund Hillary, where he and New Zealand as a country are highly respected by the local people."