February 2007's Heroic Gardens tour raised $40,000 for the NZ AIDS Foundation's Burnett Centre Wellness Fund, and now more gay and lesbian gardeners are invited to present their garden at February 2008's tour. "If you have a garden you would be interested in, or know of someone that are maybe keen to have their garden in, please get in touch," says Heroic Gardens Chair Shane Neal. The gardens on the tour will be open to the public from 10am till 6pm on the weekend of 16-17 February 2008. The annual tour of some of the best gardens in Auckland owned by gay, lesbian, bisexual, takataapui and transgender people has been one of the consistent highlights of Auckland's Hero Festival, attracting hundreds of visitors - gay and straight alike - from Auckland and beyond. In its eleven year existence, the event has raised well over $400,000 for HIV/AIDS charities. For 2008's HERO Festival, the Committee has decided to direct money raised by the garden tour towards three groups - Positive Woman Inc, a support organisation for Women and Families in Aotearoa living with HIV or AIDS; The Cartier Bereavement Trust, which assists those that can't afford to have a burial with dignity after passing with an HIV related illness; and Body Positive, a support organisation for HIV positive men. "The three groups are to receive a third of all funds raised," explains Neal. The 2008 Heroic Gardens Festival is jointly supported and promoted by The 5th Season gardening group and Gay Auckland Business Association. Gardeners interested in entering into or supporting the festival can contact Shane at flamboyant.bois@xtra.co.nz or Phone (09) 828 5171.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 1st November 2007 - 11:04am