Many people help make calendar a reality

Barney Shiels-Reddin, left, and Murray Short. Photo / David Haxton

Barney Shiels-Reddin has been running charity pub quizzes at Reddins Bar & Bistro in Raumati Beach for the past two years.

The quizzes and raffles raise about $1000 per month for local charities.

Murray Short is a local photographer who has been taking Kāpiti sunset photos and posting them on to Facebook.

When people asked if the images were for sale, he would give them away on the proviso they make a gold coin donation to Mary Potter Hospice.

His Facebook following encouraged him to produce a calendar but the initial outlay was a problem.

Murray, being a regular at Barney's pub quizzes, came up with the idea to use the charity quiz to raise money for the initial outlay to produce a calendar to be sold for Mary Potter Hospice.

Kāpiti Island sunset. Photo / Murray Short

Barney jumped on board and persuaded suppliers to donate raffle prizes and Murray set about getting local businesses to sponsor a page to add additional funding.

Helen Turnbull, owner and chef at Paraparaumu Beach's award-winning restaurant 50-50, stepped in to become the principal sponsor and other local businesses also sponsored a page.

The sponsors are: Imagination Gin, Paperdoll (women's fashion), Waikanae Butchery, Andrea Corrigan (Bayleys Real Estate), Holy Smoke (men's fashion) and Niel Thomson (Your Mortgage Broker).

Among the generous raffle prize suppliers were Gorgeous Things (gifts), Fortune Favours (craft beer) and Tinker Tailor (craft beer).

The quizzes, raffles and sponsorships raised about $4000 and with local printer The Print Room providing a heavily discounted print service, Barney and Murray have been able to print enough calendars that they hope they can raise in excess of $15,000 for Mary Potter Hospice.

The official launch of the calendar will be at Reddins on Thursday at 4pm and the calendars will go on sale from various outlets on Friday.

Calendars cost $20 each and can be bought at Reddins, in Raumati Beach, the Mary Potter Hospice Shop in Paraparaumu and the Mary Potter Hospice in Warrimoo St, Mahara Gallery in Waikanae, Your Travel in Paraparaumu Beach, and the Paraparaumu Beach Saturday Market for a couple of Saturdays this month.

If they sell all of their calendars then Mary Potter Hospice could benefit by more than $17,000.

"This is a truly local community based project that has come together to make this possible," Murray said.

"Thanks to all involved."

Mary Potter Hospice has a proud history of care, compassion and commitment to the people of the Wellington region and for many years has supported people with life-limiting illnesses and their families in the way they want, where they want.

The hospice's care services are free and available to anyone living in Wellington, Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast.