Hawke's Bay Wine Auction confirms record $265,500 raised for Cranford Hospice

Hawke's Bay wine producers and organiser of the annual Hawke's Bay Wine Auction have presented a record-breaking cheque to Cranford Hospice.

An official ceremony at Church Road Winery last night saw the handover of a $265,500 cheque, following the 27th annual Hawke's Bay Wine Auction this month.

Event manager Elisha Milmine said organisers were thrilled to have well surpassed last year's record of $202,000.

"We are thrilled with this year's record-breaking result. Tonight's wrap up is to recognise the vast contributions that members of the HBWA Sponsor Partnership Programme give each year to assist with the running of the event.

"Through their generosity and support, all funds raised at auction go to Cranford Hospice.

"It is such a pleasure to work with and be surrounded by such a generous and driven group of people."

A total of 44 auction lots from 41 Hawke's Bay wineries were sold at the November 10 auction, as well as lots from featured artist David Trubridge, a travel package and a fully stocked instant wine cellar.

"The 'Vintec Instant Wine Cellar' sold for just over $9000, it was a temperature controlled wine cabinet filled with a selection of the auction lot contributing wineries' very special award-winning wines."

Also included in the final total was a vertical of Te Mata Estate's famous Coleraine, donated by the Stewart family from Hastings. That lot fetched a total of $19,000 at a pre-tasting event in October.

Cranford Hospice Trust chairwoman Hayley Anderson said the trust was very grateful to the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction committee for the ongoing contribution of the auction proceeds.

"Hawke's Bay Wine Auction is now Cranford Hospice's largest annual private contributor and this record-breaking total of $265,500 is absolutely incredible.

"Every day Cranford Hospice is supporting 200 patients and their families living in the Hawke's Bay. The funds raised from the auction will ensure that we can continue to do this. Last year alone, the team made 23,732 contacts with 863 patients – either at home, on the phone or in our inpatient unit. Of that, more than 9000 visits were to patients' homes, from Mahia through to Takapau.

"At Cranford Hospice, we care for people when illness is incurable, and symptoms are getting worse. Our goal is to improve the quality of life that remains, understand what matters most in their life and to focus on the person and their family rather than their illness," Anderson said.

"We are so grateful to the wine industry, organisers, sponsors and attendees for supporting this event in its 27th year. We acknowledge the sheer amount of work that is involved."

The managing director of Hawke's Bay Wine Auction principal sponsor WineWorks, Tim Nowell-Usticke, thanked all the wine companies and businesses that sponsored the event and help make successes like this year's possible.