The Friends of Eastwoodhill are a fabulous, diverse group of people who operate as the fund-raising arm of Eastwoodhill. Consisting of a committee, supported by an extended group of volunteers who help out with events and catering on big occasions. We have many fabulous catering and event management skills and this year we have been catering lunches and dinners for a variety of events. We’ve done everything from casual get-togethers to more formal affairs.
Each year, our Committee picks a project to raise funds for, and this year, we’re focusing on giving the Pavilion an upgrade. It’s such a beautiful spot, sitting up above the gardens and surrounded by some amazing established trees. It’s perfect for smaller events, and we’re excited to give it a bit of a refresh. So far we have raised $15,000, with our target of $30,000 still to be achieved. To help us reach this target, donate to this great project here.
It’s been a crazy few months since Christmas. This month alone, we’ve catered sit-down lunches for 84 people and had 30 catered guest stays in our accommodation. As a popular stopover point for the local cycle trails, we have many cyclists staying over in our wonderful accommodation, and we offer catered dinners (to be booked in advance) so they can refuel after their long rides. As the popularity of the cycle trails grows, we’ve had many people take advantage of this.
The Teddy Bears Picnic was a huge hit with many happy children making memories in the park. We had nearly 500 visitors, which is the biggest turnout in recent years. It was such a fun, family-friendly day, and we had over 30 volunteers helping everything run smoothly. It’s such a great event for local businesses to showcase what they do and a fun and affordable day out for families. We can’t wait to see this popular annual fundraiser grow even more in the future.
Cruise ships are another great fundraising source. Over the summer period, Eastwoodhill hosted passengers from 19 cruise ships, with an additional 7 cruise ships having to cancel due to bad weather. Eastwoodhill is looking to extend the offering for the 25/26 season, we will keep you updated as this excitingly unfolds.
Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for more big events this Autumn. We have two large lunches planned for 50 people over the next couple of weekends, and we’re sure there will be plenty more to come. Autumn certainly has arrived with the trees changing colour all around us, what a magnificent sight!
If you’re thinking about hosting a celebration, we’ve got some fantastic spaces for this – the Courtyard, the Library, or the Pavilion. Just drop us an email at enquiries@eastwoodhill.org.nz to find out more information.
Kaye Williams
Chair of the Friends
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