A spiffing Art Deco cocktail evening aboard the visiting navy ship HMNZS Wellington on Thursday night left the uniformed hosts and costumed guests smiling - and will ensure the education of some Hawke's Bay students will get a fine boost.
For the past six years students from Napier Boys' High, Hastings Boys' High and Taradale High schools and St John's College have been beneficiaries of the HMNZS Rotoiti Education Grants scheme.
The money is raised through the annual Deco cocktail event aboard the visiting navy ship for the occasion, as well as a matching grant from the navy's Service Trust.
Since the programme was started about $40,000 has been paid out to help students at the four schools, which have all been strong supporters of the navy in terms of providing top new recruits.
Steering the event on Thursday was Art Deco devotee and the Bay's navy liaison officer Neville Smith. "It was a great evening with a real buzz to it," he said.