Charity golf tournament raises $13,000 for Women's Refuge Whanganui

Women's Refuge Whanganui representatives Kristine Dickson and Paula Wade (second and third from left) accept a cheque from Property Brokers' Ritesh Verma (left), Tonya Hibberd and Bruce McGhie.

A charity golf tournament has raised more than $13,000 for Women's Refuge Whanganui.

The Belmont course tournament, organised by Property Brokers and Team Ritesh members Ritesh Verma, Bruce McGhie and Tonya Hibberd, attracted more than 100 entries.

"The Women's Refuge offer such a valuable service in our town and with the statistics of family violence increasing, we wanted to help," Verma said.

The original amount of $12,600 raised was later updated to $13,024.

Women's Refuge Whanganui chairwoman Paula Wade said she was humbled and proud that the organisation was chosen as the recipient.

"I am so grateful to Ritesh and his team for their hard work in pulling off this amazing result," Wade said.

"It's heartwarming to see how the sponsors, volunteers and businesses all came together to support our local women and children.

"As one in three women in New Zealand are affected by domestic violence, Women's Refuge Whanganui services are vital. These disturbing statistics involve members of our community, employees, customers, neighbours. We have a responsibility to assist. It is a community problem. We can no longer expect someone else to fix it."