There was a glow of generosity coming from visitors to the Hororātā Glow Festival. Bidders at a silent auction run by the Selwyn District Council donated over $7000 to help Gisborne Tairawhiti with its recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

Items were put up for auction by 17 businesses and the Council. Popular items included Mayor Sam Broughton mowing lawns and a holiday package with accommodation and mountain biking or trekking at Quartz Hill.

The Selwyn community has adopted Gisborne as a community through the Local Government New Zealand ‘Adopt a Community’ programme. The Giving for Gisborne fundraising campaign has raised over $12,000, with donors giving directly to the Gisborne Mayoral Relief Fund to support immediate and long-term needs identified by the community.

The ongoing generosity of people in Selwyn is really uplifting, Mayor Sam says. “We’re very grateful to the Hororātā Community Trust for letting us run the auction at the Glow Festival and for all the generous businesses who donated things to the auction. It was a fun night. Though I’ve got to get practicing my mowing and my lawn bowls skills. Thanks as well to everyone who donated. The way so many in the community have got behind Gisborne is really encouraging for everyone up there.”

Tairawhiti Gisborne experienced heavy damage from the cyclone, with a long journey ahead to restore roads, bridges, power, and water infrastructure and to help displaced residents back into their homes. Other fundraisers have included a donation drive at Selwyn Sounds, a fire brigade truck pull, and Selwyn schools pairing up with their counterparts in Gisborne.