Retreat's record fundraiser

This year's Supper Club fundraiser has been another record-breaker.

The event, which raises money to operate the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat in Ngongotaha, raised $57,838 on Wednesday from ticket sales and proceeds from the live and silent auctions at the canape function at Novotel Rotorua.

This was the fourth Supper Club event and since the first fundraiser was held in 2010 more than $170,000 has been raised to keep the retreat open.

The retreat is for families whose lives have been turned upside down such as from a child's terminal illness or congenital condition or a parent dying.

Since it was opened in February 2009 more than 1300 families have enjoyed a week's stay in the lakeside house with many free or heavily discounted activities on offer.

The top auction item was the holiday to Ayers Rock, Australia, which was sold for more than $11,000. Four tickets to the X Factor final and accommodation in Auckland sold for $3000, as did the dinner with Masterchef winner Chelsea Winter.

"It was a great event, one restaurant put on a nine-course meal and we ended up going to Ciccio who had done a special menu especially for the Supper Club," organiser Linley Parry said.

"We had 28 restaurants involved this year and people have already said they want to book a table for next year's event. It's outstanding. Every dollar we raise goes to the retreat. It costs between $60,000 and $80,000 a year, $60,000 keeps it ticking along but the more we raise means we can keep it nice and update things."

McDonald's Rotorua staff also opt in to donate part of their wages to the retreat.