Bubbles & Bling, fundraising for Hospice Mid Canterbury

Hospice Mid Canterbury has been providing holistic, non-clinical support to individuals and families dealing with life-limiting illness since 2015. Yet it is support that requires help from the wider community and as such, they are delighted to announce their latest fundraiser to be held on 29 May 2021.

Hospice Mid Canterbury provides support to people of all ages, with any life-limiting condition, from the point of diagnosis, free of charge. Since 2015 they have continued to increase the range of therapies and support offered to individuals and their caregivers throughout the Ashburton District, currently contracting eight independent service providers to provide counselling, bereavement support, massage, reiki, reflexology, acupressure and relaxation therapy. In addition to these therapies, new group programmes are offered including exercise therapy for those with neurological conditions, caregiver support programmes and monthly armchair travel sessions. A large team of volunteers also provides supports such as biography writing, sitting, companionship, transport, shopping and pet care.

Their fundraising event, Bubbles & Bling, sponsored by Midlands, is intended to assist the hospice in these areas of support, while helping to raise their profile. Knowing this support is available enables people in the community to feel better equipped when it comes to matters relating to the end-of-life journey.

Designed to educate, inspire and inform, Bubbles & Bling is being held from 1.30 pm – 4 pm at the beautiful Trott’s Garden, ensuring there is an exquisite backdrop to this wonderful day out. Armed with a glass of bubbles and a sumptuous afternoon tea, attendees will be beguiled by two guest speakers, Benny Castles and Virginie Le Brun.

Benny Castles brings the bling to the event and will be known to many as a partner/designer/director of WORLD, one of New Zealand’s most iconic and avant-garde fashion houses. Benny will host a World Perfume Masterclass focusing on brand and fragrance history together with fragrance etiquette and scent profiles, including brands which date back to the 1700s. His presentations provide a wonderful eye-opening insight into the history, culture and the cult of fragrance that has become a globalised and dominant industry.

The bubbles follows with Virginie Le Brun from No.1 Family Estate. As well as being a well-known Kiwi actress (yes, from Shortland Street) she is also the daughter of the pioneering Marlbourgh winemaker Daniel Le

Brun and will be presenting her family’s wine range. A demonstration of ‘Sabrage’, the opening of the wine using a sabre, will be included.

This is guaranteed to be a fabulous event for a fabulous cause.

Tickets are $95 each and include

afternoon tea and a glass of bubbles

on arrival. Tickets are available after

7 April from Hospice Mid Canterbury,

70 Havelock Street Ashburton,

between 9 am – 1 pm week days, or

phone 03 307 8387.