Melbourne Cup charity gala launched at high tea party

Rotorua annual Melbourne Cup charity gala is out of the starter's gate and under way at a gallop.
This year's event was launched at a high tea at the Distinction Hotel yesterday. The hotel is to be the venue for this year's gala run by the Rotorua Community Charity Trust, in association with principal sponsor House of Travel.
Now into its 16th year, the gala has raised more than $120,000 for Rotorua charities. This year's recipients will be the Rotorua Hospital Chaplaincy Trust, The Rotorua Youth Trust's Rectkify (graffiti clean-up) programme and St Chad's Communications.
The brainchild of long-time Rotorua resident Jean McGaffin, the first gala was held in a small central city bar to fundraise for what was then the IHC Society.
Twelve years ago, Charity Trust was formed with the gala becoming such a popular drawcard it has outgrown the Sportsdrome and the Rotorua Convention Centre - the two venues that followed the small bar.
The Fashion in the Field section of the gala has become a high point with entrants looking every bit as glamorous as those at the "real deal" at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse.
The trust's recently elected chairman Richard Evans said this aspect would be retained but a number of new initiatives will be introduced this year, including the auction of attending a post-gala, sit-down dinner.
Mr Evans said yesterday's launch was held to give supporters the chance to learn first-hand how the gala had grown and what a large contribution it made to local charitable organisations.
Tickets for the November 2 gala will go on sale shortly at various outlets including The Daily Post, one of the prime sponsors.