Musical therapy

Music was the winner on the night at a charity auction for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

Prizes donated by the New Zealand music industry raised more than $70,000 for the trust at a charity gala auction this month.

Items up for auction included an original Flying Nun artwork that went for $9000, a $5000 Big Day Out package and a signed Alice Cooper guitar that sold for $4500.

The top bid on the night was $13,000 for a 20-guest cocktail party at Sale St bar and restaurant.

Top New Zealand bands gave performances for free including The Mint Chicks, Opensouls Acoustic, Simon Oscroft and Jeremy Redmore from Midnight Youth, singer-songwriter Anna Coddington and Kiwi favourite Hello Sailor.

The money raised will go towards operating costs for the trust’s therapy centre for children with special needs, which recently moved premises from Newton to Grey Lynn.

The centre receives no statutory funding and needs to raise $400,000 a year to keep running.

- © Fairfax NZ News