Celebrating 10 years hosting Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet

The H3 Group are delighted to celebrate their 10^th Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet held at GLOBOX Arena, Claudelands. Their proud sponsorship began in 2013 and since then the H3 team have gone above and beyond delivering an exceptional event each year.

The Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet is a very special, prestigious, and unique charitable opportunity held annually for businesses to support Hospice Waikato. The event hosts more than 1,000 guests inside GLOBOX Arena, Claudelands - aimed at celebrating the incredible work that Hospice Waikato does within our community, with guests enthusiastically participating in live and silent auctions to raise valuable funds for the charity. The funds raised from the banquet enable Hospice Waikato to continue delivering specialist community palliative care and a variety of support services to those most in need.

The extent of H3’s sponsorship is impressively vast, and planning for an event of this scale begins months prior – during this 10 year period H3 and Hospice Waikato’s relationship has flourished, and their successful collaboration has led to great success year after year.

Melissa Williams, H3 Business Development and Sales Manager - Business Events, says Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet is certainly a flagship event, and an annual highlight for our H3 team. Each year we work closely with Hospice Waikato, to bring this wonderful event to life.

“As we reflect on past years it’s incredible to see the significant growth of this event. When Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet began in 2013, it was originally held in the Heaphy Rooms at Claudelands Events Centre. As interest and support grew amongst the business community and across the region, each year, our team was motivated and empowered to push the boundaries, strive for improvement, and unleash their creative potential.”

“Our contribution to this event includes many components such as, an experienced operations team, dedicated event and client experience coordinators, usage of equipment and many different spaces across Claudelands for multiple days, and most importantly the full support and expertise of our H3 Technical Services Team.”

Since the beginning, Melissa says, “H3’s experienced and passionate Technical Services Team have been a fundamental part of what makes Hospice Bucket List Banquet incredibly magical each year”.

Led by Sven Ladewig, H3 Technical Services Manager – Sven and his team consistently exceed expectations. Their unwavering attention to detail and expertise in lighting, sound, and production features are instrumental in ensuring that H3 continues to deliver events of the highest caliber.

Every banquet is infused with a distinctive theme, ranging from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Enchanted Earth, and most recently, the masquerade-themed Flutter & Feast. Regardless of the theme, the H3 Technical Services Team consistently delivers extraordinary results. Whether it entails hanging 151 lights, suspending 45 mirror balls, setting up 237 meters of truss, or dedicating 580 hours to assembling this awe-inspiring spectacle, they consistently exceed expectations with enthusiasm and skill.

Melissa reflects, "Ten years ago, no one could have predicted the remarkable success that the Hospice Bucket List Banquet would achieve, nor could we have imagined the incredible outpouring of kindness and generosity from the attendees. However, year after year, we have had the privilege of witnessing and contributing to the growth of this event and discovering its significant impact on people's lives. For our team, this event holds a special place in our hearts. We understand the immense pressure and hard work required to ensure its flawless execution, but it is all worth it for such a meaningful cause. Thanks to the kindness of all those who donated, Hospice Waikato raised an astounding $505,000 this year. We eagerly look forward to starting the planning process for the 2024 Hospice Waikato Bucket List Banquet, our team are excited to continue making a difference.