KEY POINTS:
All Black Doug Howlett will appear at a fashion show in Auckland tonight, his first charity appearance since the Rugby World Cup tour which ended in his arrest at Heathrow Airport for a drunken spree which damaged two cars.
Howlett and fellow All Black Ali Williams, who was sent home early from South Africa in May after other drunken incidents, will be guests of honour at a $275-a-head dinner and fashion show at the Aotea Centre as the patrons of the KidsCan Charitable Trust.
The trust hopes to raise a net $70,000 by auctioning garments designed for the event by 15 New Zealand designers including Kate Sylvester, model Rachel Hunter and 23-year-old Sera Lilly.
Trust manager Julie Helson said proceeds would be split roughly 60 per cent to KidsCan and 40 per cent to the Doug Howlett Outreach Foundation, which Howlett launched in February to pay for sports club fees and uniforms, school fees, books and stationery for 50 to 100 young people a year.
"I don't think you can dismiss people for one silly thing they do," Mrs Helson said. "He [Howlett] has contributed a lot to rugby in New Zealand and he's certainly done a lot for our charity. As far as we are concerned, we still support him absolutely."
Lilly, who has designed a tennis-inspired outfit made of metallic silver material, said she was happy to design the garments for free because it was "important to make time for a couple of charities every year".
She has also found time this year to give birth to her second child, 9-month-old Kingston, and prepare for her marriage to partner Maka Baea this coming January.
KidsCan provides food, raincoats and shoes to 17,500 children at 70 low-income primary schools.
Operations manager Carl Sunderland said Auckland muesli bar maker Tasti Products was still donating food after being introduced to the charity in February by National Party leader John Key, a near-neighbour in Parnell of Tasti chairman Simon Hall.
Another company owned by Hall and brothers Henry and Richard Hall, food importer James Crisp, is also now providing food.
* On the web: www.kidscan.org.nz
