Christine Calder of Funky Pukeko, Waipawa, brandishing a blingy bra she has created to promote the Bling a Bra competition, a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo / Rachel Wise
Christine Calder of Funky Pukeko, Waipawa, brandishing a blingy bra she has created to promote the Bling a Bra competition, a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo / Rachel Wise
Two Waipawa women recently had a bra-shaped brainwave and have teamed up to offer a unique and potentially sparkly approach to fundraising for the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Christine Calder of Waipawa’s Funky Pukeko and Helen Bennett of neighbouring shop Funky Fings in Waipawa’s “Northern Hub” were not expecting to launch a project on the particular morning that a friend of Helen’s dropped in on her way to Womad.
The friend, however, had something in her car that sparked an idea, that led to a project, that grew into a competition and morphed into a breakfast and a uniquely funky craft class.
Blingy bras on display at Funky Pukeko - just in case anyone needs inspiration. Photo / Rachel Wise
The culprit that started the whole thing was a sparkly, shiny, blingy ... bra.
Helen’s bra-wielding friend was a breast cancer survivor, and the idea that sparkly bra inspired was: How about a “bling a bra” competition, to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation?
The idea took hold and the bling began to fly. Before you could shake a tassel, the creative repair had some prototype blingy bras on the go and the competition was a done deal.
Anyone can enter, just grab a bra (preferably one that’s not on someone) and bedeck it in bedazzle. Anything goes: Draw, paint, print, add lace or flowers or beads or bells and whistles or all of the above. Then deliver the bra by whatever means you choose, along with a $5 entry fee per garment, to Funky Pukeko at 85 High St, Waipawa, before May 25.
Helen Bennett of Funky Fings shows off one of her funky creations. Photo / Rachel Wise
The winners of Funky-ist Bra, Most Unique Bra and Most Voted on Bra will win prizes donated by Central Hawke’s Bay (CHB) businesses.
Judges will include CHB district councillor Pip Burne and local breast cancer survivors Anne Greeff and Cherie Meerlo, who are apparently quite open to bribery in the form of donations to the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Helen is also hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast on Saturday May 27: Bling a Bra Breast Cancer Breakfast, which combines food and festivities, fundraising and a craft class to create a blingy bra to take home. The breakfast and class will cost $75.
Helen and Christine say it’s important to raise not only funds but also awareness of the illness that affects one in four women in New Zealand.
“We have a lot of breast cancer survivors in our Central Hawke’s Bay community. Sadly, we also have too many people who haven’t survived and are no longer here with us,” says Christine.
“We need to start the conversation about breast cancer, educate people, talk about what to look out for, the importance of checking and mammograms, how vital it is to check out any symptoms quickly.
Anything goes. Bling a bra for just $5 and you could win prizes donated by CHB businesses. Photo / Rachel Wise
“This is a fun way to have that conversation - a positive way to get us all talking and sharing and laughing - and blinging bras!”
There has been a lot of interest in the project as the pair goes about gathering all things bling for the craft class.
“We’ve already started the conversation. Now we want those bras rolling in. Deliver them, courier them, post them ... but above all, bling them!”
Bling your Bra Competition: Entries $5 each, no limit to entries. Funky Pukeko, 85 High St, Waipawa. Entries close May 27.
Bling a Bra Breast Cancer Breakfast: $75, 85C High St, Waipawa, Saturday May 27, phone 022 659 6629 to book.
