Music industry helps therapy centre to grow

Music industry helps therapy centre to grow services

Members of the New Zealand music industry opened both their hearts and their wallets in Auckland last night (Thu. Nov 1).

A charity gala auction at the Auckland Town Hall raised more than $170,000 for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

The funds raised will be used to help grow the operations of the trust’s therapy centre for special needs children in Auckland.

The top bid of $50,000 was from one generous benefactor who paid two-thirds more than its value for a $30,000 Radio Live and C4 TV media package.

Other popular items with bidders were:

a three-piece Bill Hammond etching that fetched $10,500;
the ‘ultimate’ Kiwi Music Dinner set decorated by eight of the country’s best-loved musicians knocked down for $8,000;
a Schecter electric guitar autographed by The Cure when the band played in Auckland earlier in the year;
a framed set of six original bro’Town animation cells from series one of the iconic animated TV programme, supplemented by morning tea with Oscar Kightley which commanded $4,500;
morning or afternoon tea for two with opposition leader John Key which went for $3,000.

Hosted by Oscar Kightley, the evening featured donated performances by numerous musicians including ‘Awa, Demon & Tama’, Don McGlashan, Carly Binding, Victoria Girling-Butcher and Godfrey De Grut, Hinewehi Mohi and Fly My Pretties. Kightley and auctioneer Brett Trigger also gave of their services.

Guest of honour at the event was Dr Clive Robbins, co-founder of the pioneering Nordoff Robbins approach to music therapy practised by the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre and the inspiration behind its establishment.

Trust chairperson Campbell Smith says the funds raised will be put to good use.

“We are seeing more clients now than ever before as the word spreads about our work and that means we have to carefully weigh-up how we grow the service.

“The very generous support of everyone involved in the auction does not go unnoticed and I know the centre trustees will extract maximum value from every single dollar donated.”

It is the fourth year New Zealand musicians and friends have come together in support of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

The Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre receives no government assistance. It is based in the Auckland suburb of Newton but accepts clients from around the country.

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