Friends from Japan set up prestige event to support cyclone recovery

Jacky Scanlan-Dyas Picture supplied

Plans to hold a charity auction to raise funds for our flood-stricken region in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle are well under way, with the opportunity for local businesses, organisations and services to become sponsors or donate to the event.

But the point of difference with this event is that it’s taking place in Tokyo, Japan.

The story of how this came about illustrates the power of friendship and word of mouth, and the famous Kiwi two degrees of separation.

At its heart is a story of two old Gisborne friends who watched the chaos of the cyclone from thousands of miles apart and felt compelled to help.

Many years ago, Gisborne-born and bred locals Jacky Scanlan-Dyas and Gregg Pardoe became penpals, and to this day remain

life-long friends.

Even though they are separated by half the Pacific Ocean, with Mr Pardoe in Aotearoa and Mrs Scanlan-Dyas working in Japan, they have kept in touch via social media.

During an online chat with Mr Pardoe about the cyclone, Mrs Scanlan-Dyas expressed her desire to help in some way.

Mr Pardoe mentioned the organisation SuperGrans Tairāwhiti with which his mother Molly Pardoe is involved as a volunteer and also chairs the organisation’s board.

SuperGrans is a non-profit, charitable organisation with the purpose and kaupapa to support Tairāwhiti whānau out of hardship.

Mr Pardoe told Mrs Scanlan-Dyas how, with limited funds, the team at SuperGrans had been exceptional during the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, doing their utmost to ensure whānau from across Tairāwhiti and Wairoa had access to food, water, household goods, blankets, clothes and sanitation products.

From that initial conversation, the seed of an idea was planted.

Mrs Scanlan-Dyas set the ball rolling with an email to SuperGrans and so began the sharing of emails, media articles, profiles and information.

Mrs Scanlan-Dyas, who is a partner in Hogan Lovells (a top 10 global law firm) and a recipient of the Women’s Advocate of the Year award by Asian Legal Business in 2022, also set about contacting a number of professional New Zealanders living and working in Japan. This all led to the formation of the Japan Friends of NZ Flooding Fundraiser Committee. With a team of eight senior New Zealand business people and executives on the core committee and a further 15 Kiwis on board, the idea grew into the Japan Friends of NZ Flooding Fundraiser Event and Auction, set to happen in Tokyo on April 27.

With a dress code billed as business/cocktail, the prestigious event is to be held at the New York Ballroom of the Tokyo American Club. The ticket price includes a donation to SuperGrans, as well as a standing buffet, free-flowing drinks and live music, and the chance to win one of two sets of two return tickets to New Zealand, donated by Air NZ Tokyo, as door prizes.

But the heart of the fundraising event will be the charity auction.

With many major sponsors, including Japan NZ Business Council (JNZBC) and Australian NZ Chamber of Commerce (ANZCCJ) supporting and donating to the event, it is attracting a great deal of attention.

The New Zealand ambassador to Japan, Hamish Cooper, has confirmed he will be attending the fundraiser.

The auction relies on generous sponsor donations of goods and services, and is attracting a high calibre of items and opportunities to bid. Included in this list are donations of wine and food, bungy jumping, white water rafting, internships, hotel stays and signed rugby jerseys from Japan, the All Blacks, the Chiefs and Blues.

A special item is the opportunity to have a private dinner, along with 10 of your friends, with former All Black coach Sir Steve Hansen. This will be at the Webber BBQ Academy in Tokyo in November for a World Cup debrief.

Some items will only be available for live bidding at the event, but many are also open for bidding through the website, so people who are not attending the event can still participate. The committee is still actively seeking further sponsor donations from Japan and New Zealand.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to SuperGrans Tairāwhiti Trust and used directly for cyclone relief and recovery purposes.

“We are overwhelmed at Jacky and her corporate friends giving up their valuable time to make this event happen,” said SuperGrans’ Molly Pardoe.

“There have been many emails back and forth in the short time frame we have, and it would be wonderful if anyone reading this could help contribute donations for the auction from Gisborne or the wider area to show our gratitude, partnership and respect to Japan Friends of NZ.”

For further inquiries about making a donation for this event email gm@supergranstairawhiti.nz, or go to www.32auctions.com/NZFloodingFundraiser

■ Jacky Scanlan-Dyas will be in Gisborne on Friday, May 26, to present a cheque to SuperGrans Tairāwhiti. She will be joined by New Zealand’s previous ambassador to Japan and current chairman of the Japan New Zealand Business Council, Ian Kennedy, and Gisborne Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga.