Charities benefit by $35,000 as diners bid it up

Soiree Four Charity 2015 organisers Sharlene Rowling and Jessica Gordon at Mills Reef Winery. Photo / Andrew Warner

Tauranga's glitterati raised more than $35,000 in a charity dinner for four different charities on Saturday night.

More than 250 people attended the black tie dinner and charity auction event Soiree Four Charity 2015, which raised money for Baby Watoto of Uganda, the people of Manado, Indonesia, and local charities Good Neighbour and Homes of Hope.

Live auctions through the night saw $7000 raised by a signed All Blacks jersey and more than $4000 for cooking schools with chef Peter Blakeway.

Event organiser, 27-year-old Jessica Gordon, said she had a history of, and hopefully a future in, being involved with charities in different ways.

"The fascination of helping those in need started at a young age for me after watching the World Vision ads about Rwanda while the genocide was taking place. I was a little over 5 years old.

"It was fuelled further by my mum, who was the kindest woman I have ever known, and my dad, who has always made me believe I can do anything I put my mind to."

Ms Gordon travelled to Cambodia in 2012 with Break Free Expeditions Volunteer Travel, which strengthened her desire to do more for those less fortunate.

Since then she has worked with a number of charities locally and abroad, including Baby Watoto Uganda.

Each of the charities having money raised for them on Saturday night held a special place in her heart, she said.

"Watoto Uganda is one I am committed for long-term. I volunteered there for a month earlier this year and I am travelling back and leading a team of volunteers for Break Free in January next year."

One memory that touched Ms Gordon so much while she was in Africa was meeting a little girl 2 or 3 years old with no hands or feet.

"I thought she must have been abandoned because of her disabilities but she was actually left on the side of the road and when she was found dogs were chewing at her limbs ... [When I first saw her] behind Watoto's gates this beautiful girl was so happy, her presence moved me."

Ms Gordon thanked everybody who put together the successful event.

"A huge thank you to Sharlene Rowling; the event is definitely my baby but she is the mastermind behind all of the tickets, the paper work, the computer stuff."

Ms Gordon asked anyone wanting to join her on her journey back to Uganda in January to email her on: soiree4charity@gmail.com.