Charity Celebrating Sold Out Fundraiser

MEDIA RELEASE
April 2009

Charity Celebrating Sold Out Fundraiser

The Leukaemia & Blood Foundation is delighted at having sold out their prestigious fundraiser, SKYCITY Dining for a Difference.
The event, which takes place Saturday 18 April, is a major fundraiser for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) says Pru Etcheverry the LBF executive director.

"In these economic times, more than ever, we need help to continue our core services for patients and families."

The chic event will be chock-full of some of New Zealand's most well known celebrities, businesses and media. The celebrity line up includes a surprise musical guest.

The award winning event is the brainchild of New Zealand celebrity chef Peter Gordon. Peter, of SKYCITY's dine by Peter Gordon and The Providores Restaurant in London, has returned to New Zealand and is hosting the event to honour his sister Tracey who survived leukaemia over 12 years ago.

Inspired to help other patients with leukaemia, Peter has used his reputation and skill as a chef to orchestrate dinners in the United Kingdom over the last eleven years to help raise over £3 million (about 8.4 million NZ$) for the Leukaemia Unit at Hammersmith Hospital in London.

Gordon, arguably New Zealand's highest profile international culinary celebrity has assembled New Zealand and Australia's world class chefs, along with Shanghai's Jereme Leung of Jereme Leung Creative Concepts and San Francisco's Elizabeth Falkner of Orson.

The chefs who are generously donating their enthusiasm and culinary expertise to the event have been meticulously planning and preparing for weeks leading up to the evening. SKYCITY's kitchens will once again bustle with thirteen chefs, assistants, maître d's and staff all supporting one cause.
The fundraiser is sponsored by SKYCITY and businesses such as Air New Zealand, who have flown all the chefs into Auckland, Lion Nathan, Ogilvy PR, The Orange Group and others donating beverages, creative services and time to ensure a successful event.
First held in June 2007 the fundraiser brought in an astounding $205,000 for the LBF. "We would be delighted and humbled to raise that amount again," says Etcheverry.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation Support Services Programme.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

When: Saturday 18 April 2009

Where: The Auckland Rooms, SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre

Chefs taking part in SKYCITY Dining for a Difference fundraiser:

1. Peter Gordon, dine by Peter Gordon, Auckland & The Providores, London

2. Geoff Scott, Vinnies, Auckland

3. Philip Johnson, Ecco, Queensland, Australia Â

4. Rex Morgan, Citron, Wellington

5. Martin Bosley, Martin Bosley's Yacht Club, Wellington

6. Simon Wright, The French Café, Auckland

7. Elizabeth Falkner, Orson, San Francisco

8. Christine Manfield, Universal, Sydney, Australia Â

9. Michael Meredith, Merediths, Auckland

10. Al Brown, Logan Brown, Wellington

11. Martin Boetz, Longrain, New South Wales, Australia Â

12. Pete Gawron, Saffron, Queenstown

13. Jereme Leung, Jereme Leung Creative Concepts, Shanghai, China

About the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation:
The LBF is the only organisation in New Zealand dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma and related blood conditions.

Every day 6 children and adults New Zealand are diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or a related blood condition, the equivalent of around 2200 New Zealanders a year.

The funds raised go towards the foundation's Support Services Programme for provide core services - patient support, information & education, awareness, advocacy and research.

ends