Singer's heartfelt gift for anti-violence garage sale

Aaradhna is donating the proceeds of her new single to the fundraising campaign for Get Organised Auckland. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The local hip-hop star sang, the Prime Minister spoke and the mayor rode in on his two-wheel charger last night for the launch of what the organisers hope will be Auckland's biggest-ever garage sale.

The Warriors, Judy Bailey and fashion designer Trelise Cooper were also on hand in the carpark of Continental Cars in Newmarket to promote the "Get Organised Auckland" event for Preventing Violence in the Home.

The organisation, formerly the Domestic Violence Centre, hopes to emulate a similar giant sale in a marquee in New York's Central Park which raised US$500,000 ($795,000) for New York schools in 2004.

"In New York they had 20,000 people and an average spend of $29.74," said the project manager of the Auckland event, Catherine Belcher.

"If we get that, we'll make our goal of $500,000, which will give Preventing Violence in the Home what they need."

The organisation, New Zealand's biggest violence counselling centre, spends $1.8 million a year on helping women and children who are victimised by family violence, running men's anti-violence courses and a helpline, 0508 DVHELP (0508 384-357).

Money from the sale, using the theme "handle with care", will go to expand the helpline, fund counselling for children and raise awareness of services at a time when the nation is looking for answers to tragedies such as the Kahui deaths.

"The country is at a tipping point. We have known that this problem has been getting worse for some time. Now we are looking for solutions," said spokeswoman Trish Sherson.

Singer Aaradhna Patel, 22, is donating the proceeds of her new single, I Love You Too, to the cause. She has just returned to her Manukau base, Dawn Raid Entertainment, after visiting her family in Porirua.

"The song is about love - reassuring the person you are with that you love them. You have been away for a long time and you are missing them," she said.

When she was asked to sing at last night's launch, she decided to dedicate the single to Preventing Violence.

"Just hearing all those stories from the news - kids dying, the Kahui twins, it's so upsetting. I feel like maybe I could help in this way."

Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard has donated his motorbike, Cooper and fellow designer Helen Cherry are giving pieces from their collections and Judy Bailey is gifting the Adrienne Winkelmann designer jacket she wore on her last night fronting the news. Goods and services donated so far are worth more than $1 million.

Macquarie Goodman is providing a warehouse in South Auckland to receive items from the public via 18 drop-off points listed on the "Get Organised" website. The sale will take place in the Auckland Showgrounds on November 18-19.