Hawke's Bay Wine Auction presents significant cheque to Cranford Hospice

WINE: Tony Bish Sacred Hill senior winemaker (left), Haley Anderson Cranford Hospice chair, Terry Elmsly owner Euro City celebrating Cranford Hospice receiving funds. PHOTO/Warren Buckland.

Cranford Hospice have been given a $202,000 cheque courtesy of the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction.

More than 70 guests from the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction Sponsor Partnership Program gathered at Platinum Partner Sponsor – EuroCity's new premise in Prebensen Drive Napier last night to witness the handing over of the significant cheque that was raised at the 26th annual Hawke's Bay Wine Auction event to Cranford Hospice.

Project Manager Annabel Tapley-Smith said "it is important to formalise and recognise the vast contributions that our members within the HBWA Sponsor Partnership Program give each year to assist with the running of the event. Through their support, all funds raised at Auction go to Cranford Hospice".

"We achieved another record year in funds gifted to Hospice and to date under our new management – we have collectively given $622,000.00 in the past three-and-a-half years – this is a significant amount of actual funds to one charity from our HB Wine Industry and business owners".

Haley Anderson, chairwoman of the hospice board, said the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction was Cranford Hospice's largest private annual contributor and "we are very humbled and grateful to be the recipient for the last 26 years".

CEO of Cranford Hospice, Janice Byford Jones, said: "on behalf of everyone at from Cranford Hospice, we are so grateful to all involved in the auction for helping fund our services".

"Thank you all so very much."

"Once again we were overwhelmed by the support from Hawke's Bay's wonderful community of winegrowers, business sponsors and not least the individuals and syndicates from all over New Zealand who came, bid and helped raise the $202,000."

The date has been set for what is now considered to be New Zealand's premier wine auction event will be held on November 10 of next year - coinciding with two other Cranford Hospice fundraising events: The Holly Hospice Trial and the Wild Flower Sculptor.

Ms Tapley-Smith said he wanted to thank Hawke's Bay Today and NZME for their sponsorship and support in helping get the message out to people in the region.