Upcoming quilt exhibition to be local group's main fundraiser

Rotorua Rainbow Quilters member Ailsa Treloar with the quilt being raffled at the show. Photo/Shauni James

People will not only be able to enjoy a colourful exhibition of quilts this weekend but help raise money for a good cause in the process.

The Rotorua Rainbow Quilters Quilt Show will be held at Neil Hunt Park in the Bridge club rooms, from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 10am to 3pm on Sunday.

President Maryann Paterson says the show is an exhibition of quilts made by local quilters.

They put the show on twice a year and it is their main fundraiser, she says.

Rotorua Rainbow Quilters make charity quilts for Whare Aroha and Child Cancer, with the show helping to raise funds for the costs of the quilts.

The event will include the display of the Aotearoa Flight Challenge.

Every year the Aotearoa Quilters have a challenge and people from all over New Zealand enter, says Maryann.

"We have been fortunate to get it to our show. It's travelled all over the country. This will be its last port of call."

The Rotorua Rainbow Quilters meet every first and third Tuesday of each month at the Bridge Club.

They also meet one Thursday and Saturday a month.

Maryann says they have about 53 members who meet, stitch and socialise, with more than 150 quilts being made a year.

She says they do mostly charity work but also make their own quilts.

The show costs $5 for entry. There is a quilt which will be raffled off, along with other raffles.

Maryann says there will also be four retailers from Waitomo bringing their fabrics and wares to sell.

She encourages people to come along to help keep the dying art alive and for the social side of the show.