Hawke's Bay Pink Ribbon fundraising breakfast held at Elske Centre

It was a full house at a Pink Ribbon breakfast held at the Elske Centre last week.

It was the first time such an event has been held at the centre.

Elske Centre manager Kay McLennan said the idea to hold a fundraising event came about when one of the centre's clients asked if something could be done to support the Breast Cancer Foundation's Pink Ribbon campaign.

From there, another client who had twice been affected by breast cancer put her full support behind it.

"In the end everyone became very excited about having a breakfast. In fact we had so much interest in it that we had to start turning people away as the centre can only accommodate 40 people."

Clients and volunteers attended the breakfast.

"While the event was client-driven, the part for us that was really important was that it brought outside people into the centre and allowed our clients to mix with others. It provided our clients with a social experience."

Volunteers helped, making sure that those who weren't mobile were served at their table and that others had plenty to eat.

The husbands of staff and volunteers had also been roped into help by manning the barbecues on which bacon, sausages and hash browns were cooked.

One client made 19 bead bracelets that were handed out before the breakfast.

McLennan said the centre paid for the food and drinks, a raffle and spot prizes from its own funds and from the $10 donation for the meal.

Such was the success of the event, that McLennan said she hoped it could be repeated.

"We definitely want to hold another Pink Ribbon breakfast again, but we would need to look at a bigger venue."