Kiwi Blade Runner to speak at charity auction in Tauranga

SPEAKING UP: Paralympic medalist Liam Malone will speak at a charity auction in Tauranga next month.

New Zealand's own Blade Runner, Liam Malone, will be the guest speaker at a charity auction in Tauranga next month.

Malone won two golds and a silver at the Rio Paralympics.

The auction, being run through the Harcourts Foundation, will raise money and awareness for the SILC Charitable Trust's SwitchedOn, a unique gym facility in Tauranga, which has equipment for people of all ages and abilities.

''Having Liam Malone come is poignant. He's obviously very current and he's a fantastic guy, so it will be great to see the community get behind it,'' said organiser Ingrid Cotton, marketing consultant for Harcourts Advantage Realty Mount Maunganui.

''There are some fantastic auction items - we have a cricket bat signed by the entire 2016 New Zealand cricket team, signed Chiefs merchandise, artwork by Benjamin Lloyd as well as a spray tattoo session - we've got some quite fantastic stuff.''

Members of the gym include those recovering from accidents, strokes, heart attacks, surgery or more permanent situations such as motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or Down syndrome.

SwitchedOn's exercise physiologists are university qualified and are able to create individual programmes. On hand is advice on health, mobility and wellness.

The centre also offers massage, nutrition and gentle yoga classes and training programmes.

Ms Cotton said money raised at the auction would go, via the SILC Charitable Trust, to buy equipment for the gym.

The auction will be held at Nosh, 35 Macdonald St, on Wednesday November 16, starting at 6.30pm. Tickets are $35 including drinks and canapes, and are available at Nosh, SwitchedOn and SILC Charitable Trust.
ENDZ