Getting their glam on at the donations table
An enthusiastic group of Cambridge ‘mad hatters’ will hand over $5410 to the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ this week to go towards its Pink Ribbon appeal.
The money was raised at a Mad Hatters Tea Party held by Cambridge Oaks Lifestyle Village residents at their recreation lodge earlier this month. The whimsical theme, complete with men and women decked out in crazy hats and outfits, mostly in shades of pink, saw around 100 attendees sip their tea from deliberately mismatched vintage teacups.
Guest speaker Anna Campbell with the niftily dressed emcee for the event, Gary Edgar. Photo: Viv Posselt
Cambridge Oaks’ owners, Freedom Lifestyle Villages, also contributed towards the total raised.
The event was organised by resident Cheryl Newman, with guest speaker Anna Campbell talking on her life and ‘Fashion in the Fields’, and a fashion parade by Gabriels of Cambridge in which the clothes were modelled by villages residents.
Campbell, who lives outside Cambridge, made a name for herself a couple of years ago when she was selected to represent New Zealand at the Melbourne Cup’s Fashion on The Field event in 2023.
Newman told The News she was delighted by the turnout and the result.
“We try to do something for Pink Ribbon every couple of years,” she said. “When I saw something on television about a Mad Hatters Tea Party, I thought it was a great idea for us this time.”
She said many Cambridge businesses and organisations donated over 30 items for raffling during the event.
“It is an excellent result … we will pass on the $5410 to the Breast Cancer Foundation this week.”
Mad Hatters Tea Party organiser Cheryl Newman, left, with guest speaker Anna Campbell, turned on the pink for the fundraiser.
Getting their glam on at the donations table before the event are Cheryl and Ernie Newman, seated, and emcee Gary Edgar, Carol de Joux and Lynne Scarlett. Photo: Viv Posselt