Handy ladies doing it for themselves

Staff member Kurt Simpson is on hand as a woman tries out an electric drill at last year's Ladies' Night. Photo/Supplied

A competition to find Wanganui's hottest home baker will be part of this year's popular Ladies' Night at Mitre 10 Mega on September 3.

It's on from 7pm to 9.30pm at the big orange hardware store in Wanganui's Heads Road, and the cakes will be judged on their appearance by the women who attend.

The annual Ladies' Night attracts about 700 women every year - one of the biggest crowds for any such Mitre 10 event in New Zealand.

"It's a bit of an institution in Wanganui," said the store's retail manager Sharnell Duncan.

"I think it's just what we have on offer, and I think our ladies are obviously very keen on having a crack at stuff themselves."

The cost to women is just a gold coin admission, and they can try wielding electric drills and power saws, painting, plumbing and using seed mats to grow plants. They'll even get a chance to try driving the store's hire digger around the trade department.

All the money raised will go to Hospice Wanganui, Ms Duncan said. Last year that was over $20,000, and auctioning the eight cakes in the baking competition raised $1500.

This year the store is again hoping to raise as much money as possible. There will be an auction at the end of the night and businesses have donated prizes such as vouchers and a night's accommodation.

There will also be a raffle, for a $500 Mitre 10 Mega voucher. And there will be spot prizes and free drinks and nibbles provided by the store's cafe.

This year's Ladies' Night will be the eighth the store has put on, with a charity chosen each year.