Grand pianist recruited for coastal cause

With natural disasters causing havoc, charities vying for donations are working hard to raise funds to keep their good works going.
Catastrophes such as the Christchurch earthquake have rightfully taken centrestage, say eco-battlers from the Sustainable Coastlines cause, so many organisations are finding innovative ways to raise funds, rather than competing on street corners for pocket change.
Sustainable Coastlines is a young charity that in only two years has motivated more than 12,500 school students and volunteers to remove nearly 700,000 litres of rubbish (over 20 full shipping containers) from the coast.
Now the group has pulled together an impressive list of artists to perform at a fundraising ball on Saturday, July 23.
"With the recession hitting New Zealand right when our charity started and natural disasters here and abroad, fundraising has been tough for us," says Sam Judd, co-founder and events director for Sustainable Coastlines, "but I think we are lucky: all Kiwis love the coast and we are humbled to have such incredible artists supporting the cause, which means we can offer people something back for their hard-earned money."
Judd just hopes the fundraising event will be a fun night out. "You won't find us hawking for change on the street corner," says Judd, "it is just too tight out there. We have to entice people with something they will enjoy as well as feeling good about supporting the cause."
New Zealand's top concert pianist, the world renowned Michael Houstoun, will treat guests on the grand piano, while top jazz ensemble The Nairobi Trio will play the strings.
Then Barnaby Weir, singer/songwriter of The Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties fame will play his critically acclaimed solo set and local favourites Grand Central Band will top the night off.
They even have popular celebrity Clarke Gayford on board as an MC, to complete an all-star line-up of entertainers at the waterfront Hilton Auckland Hotel.
All artists are donating their time for the function and the venue has been provided by the hotel, whose staff have volunteered in Sustainable Coastlines' events over the past 18 months.
Tickets are on sale through the charity website www.sustainablecoastlines.org