One person buys 8400 tickets to sold-out charity event they can’t even attend

Sky Stadium tonight during the "Silent Night" event which raised nearly $320,000 for Wellington City Mission. Photo / Azaria Howell

A single person purchased a last-minute 8400 tickets for the Wellington fundraiser event that nobody can attend, making it sell out this afternoon.

A creative fundraising strategy has been developed by Wellington City Mission, which has seen demand jump since the Covid era with an anticipated rise around Christmas.

Almost 34,000 tickets have been sold to tonight’s ‘Silent Night’, held at Sky Stadium with all proceeds going towards helping Wellingtonians in need.

Tickets range from $3 to $2000 for a corporate box.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said this afternoon there was a massive surge in people buying tickets for the event.

“It just shows the generosity of Wellingtonians.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge. Photo / Katie Harris

“People who are prepared to get behind this initiative, but more importantly, are prepared to support people in their community who are doing life hard.”

They have now raised just under $320,000 with 100 per cent of proceeds going directly to people having difficulty in life or “struggling in some way”, Edridge said.

“Some of it’s already been spent as we go into the Christmas period.”

This included setting up a supermarket where those going without can collect food, as well as a toy store for parents to shop for gifts for their children.

“We know 2023 is going to be a really difficult year for many people and this is an opportunity for us to put some services in place such as food support, social work, financial and budgeting services.”

Up until the end of the year, Wellington City Mission is still selling tickets to the event. The Mission has been informed that because no one can actually be there, it may continue to sell tickets above its capacity.