Ball set for glittering night

The Wairarapa and South Wairarapa Young Farmers Clubs have joined forces for the first time to put together their inaugural Swazi to Swish ball this Saturday, at the Gladstone Complex.

The event is attracting interest from as far away as Auckland.

Organisers are hoping the initiative can become a biennial attraction, with funding raised going towards the two clubs.

One of the organisers, Jess Davies from the South Wairarapa club, who comes from a dairy farm at Western Lake, said the event was open to people of all backgrounds.

She said she hoped it would give rural people the opportunity to enjoy a fun and memorable evening with music, entertainment and a revolving supper, which entails of an endless food supply.

"It's a great chance for everybody to get dressed up and have a good time. We purposely didn't call it a young farmers' ball so that other people who wanted to attend didn't get put out, " she said.

"We didn't think it was right to limit it just to farmers as there are lots of young professional people in Wairarapa who, I'm sure, would like to go to something like this."

Ms Davies said that being part of South Wairarapa Young Farmers had been beneficial in getting the word out but she was confident people from a range of sectors would be enticed along.

"We've got some very good feedback. People are just glad to have somewhere to go and something to do.

"It's not really a busy time on sheep or dairy farms this time of year, so it's a good time to host it."

Ms Davies said they had sold more than 200 tickets to the event to people in Wairarapa and also to guests from Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and the Auckland region.

A security company has been hired to help and a range of local businesses have sponsored the ball.

The organisers include four members from each club and among them are Jo Booth, Abby Hull, Kharlos Langman and Isaac Kelsem.

Tickets priced at $50 have sold out for the event.

"It's been very well received and we hope it will be as good as people think it will," Ms Davies said.