Steven Adams to open new basketball courts in Tauranga

Steven Adams Photo/ File

A new charity event will raise money for two new basketball courts in Tauranga which will be opened by pro basketballer Steven Adams.

The luxury event, The Bay's Melbourne Cup Charity Spectacular, is taking place on Melbourne Cup race day on November 5 at the Bay Oval and will raise money for the Sports Pathways Trust, a charity which assists young people to achieve their potential despite inequality or disadvantage.

Rotorua-born Adams who plays for the Oklahoma Thunder, is passionate about sporting youth to develop their sporting talents and is a keen supporter of the charity, which also runs Steven Adams camps around the country for young people, says Sports Pathways trustee Zak Lassey who is organising the Tauranga event, along with local women Helen Fletcher and Lavina Good.

The event aims to raise more than $100,000 to support the Merivale and Brookfield communities to build two basketball courts which will be opened by Adams next year.

Kicking off at 3pm, the event organisers promise an afternoon of horse racing, champagne, music, delicious food and charity auctions.

The event will be MC'd by Will Johnston from The Hits Bay of Plenty.

There's a chance to win big as well. Sweepstakes will be sold on the day.

There will be a fashion in the fields event with prizes for the best dressed, judged by Rodelle Payne owner of Sisters & Co, and indulge editor Annemarie Quill.

Guests will be well fed with cuisine by Good Neighbour, a charity that collects food that is good enough to eat but not good enough to sell from supermarkets and redistributes it to the community.

Helen Fletcher says the new event for the Bay is a perfect opportunity to get together with friends for a glamorous outing, and at the same time raise valuable funds for charity.