We’re excited to share news of the resounding success of our Auckland ‘Guardians of Research’ Gala Dinner held on Thursday, August 28th, 2025, at the beautiful Northern Club! The incredible energy and support from our community was once again amazing, and we’re overwhelmed with gratitude!
Thanks to the generosity of our guests, we raised an impressive $100,000 after expenses, which will allow us to sustain our Cure Collective team at the Centre for Brain Research as they drive breakthroughs for the 13,000 Kiwis – and millions worldwide – living with Parkinson’s disease. Special thanks must go to Roger Dickie and his friends for their generous support through the supply and successful bidding of the pheasant shooting experiences, which were a highlight of the evening. We’re deeply grateful to Matt Peat for stepping in at the last minute as our outstanding MC and to Andrew Grant for his exceptional speech, which inspired us all and even saw some guests rise to their feet!
As always, a massive shoutout to our event sponsors, SOHO Family Vineyards and Tegel, as well as all of the incredible donors who provided us with some unforgettable live and silent auction items, and gave us a head-start on the fundraising.
A huge thank you must also go to our Cure Crusaders, Jackie Kirkham and family, for their invaluable help with event setup and live auction ‘spotting,’ and to Savannah Thompson from Superbold, whose photography beautifully captured the evening’s magic! Special gratitude goes to Prof. Maurice Curtis and Sir Richard Faull for sharing inspiring updates on the groundbreaking work at the Centre for Brain Research, and to our stand-in auctioneer, Bryan Thomson, who seamlessly stepped in to fill the shoes of our regular auctioneer, Brian King. We also extend heartfelt thanks to our friends at Wild Poppies for their stunning floral arrangements, which guests were thrilled to bid on and take home. It was a truly wonderful night, and we’re deeply grateful for the generosity of our guests, who gave so freely to our cause despite challenging times in New Zealand.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
