Editorial: Raise a glass for Cranford

Punters enjoy the atmosphere of the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction in aid of Cranford Hospice at the Hawke's Bay Opera House on Saturday. Photo Paul Taylor

The only thing better about making the best wine in the country is to auction it for charity.

Actually that's not true - drinking it rates pretty highly too.

After reading today's charity wine auction story (see page 3), I thought, how wonderful to live in a region where the ladies and gents of our flagship industry decide to leverage off that reputation to create benevolence from barrels.

Saturday's record total for the 26th annual Hawke's Bay Wine Auction at the Hawke's Bay Opera House Plaza, came in at a sizzling total of $202,000 for Cranford Hospice.

That bettered last year's total of $180,000.

The event is the largest annual private contributor to Cranford which means the total is a windfall for the hospice - and more so given Cranford's contemplating a new home and new chapter.

The ramped up total is proof of a groundswell of support for our hospice - which itself is a credit to the goodwill and empathy of those who know the dignity, hard yards and duty of care put in from Mahia to Takapau, at an annual running cost of $6.2million.

Project organiser Annabel Tapley-Smith said she was rapt with the turnout of bidders and supporters. "What we didn't anticipate was the overwhelming generosity from the guests at the event", she said.

While the evidence of generosity is unquestionable, I'd like to think this is the sort of coin people are willing to part with if one of the rewards is a bottle or two of some of the best wine experiences in the country.