Location: Southward Car Museum, Paraparaumu
Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Time: 6.15pm
Dress: Dress to impress, but don’t stress.
Cost: $1,700 for a table of 10 + booking fee

About the evening

You’ll savour a delicious three course plated dinner by Relish Cafe and Catering, accompanied by award winning Spy Valley wines and beer from DVB. Enjoy entertainment from some of Kāpiti’s up and coming musical talent and be blown away by Stew Darling’s incredible stories, all whilst supporting Mary Potter Hospice to renovate the Kāpiti community facilities. In addition, you will have a chance to bid on a collection of exciting auction items.

Event Timings
6.15pm – 7pm: Canapés and welcome drinks
7pm: Event commences
10.30pm: Event wraps up

We’re calling on our supporters and fellow Wellingtonians to gather your friends and colleagues, round up a table and join us for the cause!

For more information about this gala fundraising event contact Phillip Harris on 021 2107276 or events@marypotter.org.nz

Why are we fundraising?

Mary Potter Hospice built the Kāpiti community base in 1996 with the support of the local community who raised over $350,000 for the project. The building is on land leased from Health NZ.

30 years later the building is no longer fit for purpose. Patient numbers have increased significantly (the team cares for around 200 patients a year) and the team of staff and volunteers who are based in the building has grown to the point where some staff have been accommodated in a temporary porta cabin, and there are no ‘hot desk’ facilities for staff visiting from other teams.

The room used for day activities and other events for patients and their families is a thoroughfare needed by staff to access offices. Heating and other systems are antiquated, and bathrooms lack privacy. The entire fit out is no longer of the standard we want to be able to offer patients, families, staff and visitors.

Local architect John Tocker has been working pro bono on a cost effective solution that we now wish to implement and ensure that we can get at least another 10 years out of this building as we continue to support the people of the Kāpiti Coast at the end of their lives.

Join us for a cause, support your local hospice!

About Stew Darling

Stew Darling is a former Lieutenant Colonel in Military Intelligence with a 23-year career in the British Army running covert operations around the world. Stew worked with the FBI, CIA, and MI6 and was responsible for thousands of lives in high-stress environments including operations in The Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Author of Lead through Life and Unstoppable: Living Beyond Our Limits, he brings a unique perspective honed by his distinguished career in both covert military operations, business and leadership development. With over two decades of service in Military Intelligence, Stew mastered the art of resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking under extreme pressure.

Stew transitioned seamlessly from his military career to business, he built an 8-figure ($) software company before returning to his passion of leadership coaching and motivational speaking. In telling his story, you will hear about his first hand experiences in high-stakes environments, his insights into overcoming adversity, fostering team cohesion, and leading with integrity.

For more information about this gala fundraising event contact Phillip Harris on 021 2107276 or events

Thanks to our sponsors