Sports greats give to auction

Tour de France golden boy Lance Armstrong will help boxing legend Muhammad Ali pack a punch for charity.

A signed Armstrong jersey and a signed Ali boxing glove have been secured for the Wayne Bennett dinner at Ellerslie Convention Centre on Friday, June 4.

The two items are just part of an astonishing array of goodies to be auctioned to raise funds for a number of charities at the Mad Butcher and Suburban Newspapers Community Trust dinner.

Also under the hammer on the night will be a framed Australian Rugby League Anzac jersey signed by the Kangaroos and a framed New Zealand Rugby League jersey signed by the Kiwis as well as many other items including some spectacular artwork and fine wine.

Bennett is the world's most successful league coach ever, but is famous for his silence. He rarely grants interviews, frequently gives as short an answer as possible and never hesitates to tell media if he thinks their questions are stupid.

But the man who played for Australia and has coached Canberra, the Broncos, St George, Queensland and Australia – and who has even provided coaching advice to Kiwis head Stephen Kearney – will front up to help raise cash for the four charities selected by the trust – Allergy New Zealand, Diabetes Auckland, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand and Macular Degeneration New Zealand.

"It's an honour to have Bennett and this is also a change of format for us," says Mad Butcher and Suburban Newspapers Community Trust chairman Peter Leitch QSM.

Normally the trust events are lunches but the June 4 event will be held at night and will also feature comedian Ben Hurley and Dancing with the Stars entertainer Shane Cortese and his five-piece band.

The gala event includes cocktails from VnC, a delicious three-course meal with complementary drinks from Lion Breweries and Glengarry Wines who are sponsorship partners of the event with The Radio Network, Edwards Sound and Sentra Printing.

This is a great opportunity to get your company to take a table to entertain clients and staff while supporting four worthy causes.