15 August 2011

Charity ball to create legacy for Auckland’s youth

The Mayor and Mayoress are hosting a charity ball to raise funds to provide brighter futures for young Aucklanders.

The Mayoress’ Charity Gala Ball, on Saturday 19 November, will be a spectacular night of entertainment hosted by Len Brown and his wife, Mayoress Shan Inglis.

All net proceeds from this event will go towards the Mayoress’ Fund for Youth, an independent charitable fund administered within the Auckland Communities Foundation.

The newly established fund will raise money every year to support initiatives that directly benefit the health, well-being, educational opportunities and employment of young people living in Auckland.

The Mayoress intends to build a permanent endowment for Auckland’s young people over time, in addition to annual grants. A percentage of funds raised each year will be held within the fund to ensure long-term support for young Aucklanders. Shan Inglis has designed the fund to be a legacy for Auckland.

She hopes the Mayoress’ Charity Gala Ball will become a key fixture in Auckland’s annual events calendar.

”I believe in an Auckland where every child has the best possible start in life and a future full of opportunities,” says the Mayoress. “We had significant success bringing together people who could make a difference in Manukau and now I am delighted to extend this across Auckland for the benefit of all our young people.

“There are some wonderful individuals and organisations working hard to improve life for our young people, and they need our support. By supporting the Mayoress’ Ball, you can help us to help them,” she says.

The fund will be launched with a gala event at one of Auckland’s newest waterfront venues, the Viaduct Events Centre. The evening will be filled with world-class performances, dancing and fine dining and will take place against the breathtaking backdrop of the harbour and illuminated city. The event is a black tie masquerade ball.

Len Brown says, “I want Auckland to become the world’s most liveable city, and the foundation for this is cohesive, resilient communities that raise confident, healthy young people with education and career opportunities open to them. We need to work together to make this happen, and the money raised from this event will support important initiatives.”

Auckland Communities Foundation Chief Executive Mark Bentley says, ”We are really pleased that the Foundation’s experience and infrastructure is able to help Shan and Len realise their desire to do something powerful for Auckland’s youth in a highly effective way.”

The event is being professionally organised and underwritten by Duco Events, with no cost to Auckland Council or ratepayers.

“It is exciting to be part of creating this landmark annual event for Auckland,” says Duco Events Director David Higgins. “We intend to set a new standard for elegance, theatrics and entertainment.”

“The Mayoress’ Charity Gala Ball is set up to rival similar international events such as the Viennese Opera Ball in New York, going since 1955 and still an international social landmark; the Black and White Ball in San Francisco, staged every two years since 1956 and the Rose Ball in Monaco, initiated by Princess Grace and held annually since 1964.”

Tables are strictly limited, please visit www.mayoressball.co.nz to book your table. Individual seats are also available.

ENDS

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