PRESS RELEASE

Brushstrokes of Impact: A Paint and Sip Evening at Eden Park in Support of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland

WHEN: Thursday 14 August 2025, 7:00pm to 9:30pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
WHERE: All Blacks Changing Rooms, Eden Park, Kingsland

Step into the legendary All Blacks changing rooms for a night of creativity, connection, and community at ‘Brushstrokes of Impact’, a fundraising event hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland. This exclusive paint-and-sip experience offers guests the chance to find their inner artist inside one of Aotearoa’s most iconic sporting spaces. Whether you’re a rugby fan, art enthusiast, or just someone who believes in the power of mentoring, there’s something for you.

Hosted by Matilda Green (Podcaster, Influencer, and BBBS Ambassador), guests can enjoy a guided painting session with Kiwi artist Andrew J Steel – known for thought-provoking murals and street art – alongside a fundraising auction with some enticing prizes up for grabs (hello private Eden Park tour!) Nibbles will be provided, with all proceeds from the event going directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland to help to match more tamariki with dedicated, caring mentors.

“This event aims to support tamariki who are bright, resilient, and full of potential – they’ve just had a harder start than most or need additional support.” says Program Manager Dayna Taramai. “With the right mentor – someone who shows up and believes in them – they can thrive.”

Based on the tuakana-teina model of mentorship, Big Brothers Big Sisters matches young people (teina) with trusted adult mentors (tuakana) who provide consistency, guidance, and friendship. Research shows that these relationships build resilience, boost confidence, and help taiohi feel more connected.

Whether you’re flying solo, bringing a date, rallying your workmates, or catching up with friends, Brushstrokes of Impact promises a memorable night blending art, sport, and generosity. Spots are limited, so make sure you secure your spot – tickets can be bought here.

Please note that Eden Park pitch access is restricted during this event.

Media Contact:
Courtney Reynolds-Smith
Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland |  022 4882584
courtney.reynolds-smith@bigbrothersbigsisters.org.nz

About Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland:
Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland supports children aged 6-12 by matching them with trained, caring adult mentors. Each match is built on trust and consistency, offering children the opportunity to thrive through positive relationships.

End

Auckland – 1st of March – This month Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland is excited to promote our ‘Be the Big Brother they Brag about’ recruitment campaign, that calls on men to sign up and become ‘Big Brother’ mentors. Approximately 70% of our waitlist are young boys waiting for a male mentor, who can be a male-figure and role-model in their life.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland also shares a heartfelt thank you to the North and South Trust for their generous support in funding West and South Auckland billboards to support this campaign. Their contribution is helping raise awareness for the vital work at Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland, connecting mentors with the young people who need them most.

Running from March 1st to April 1st, the campaign aims to find males who want to make a difference and mentor a young boy for a minimum of one-year. Boys thrive when they have a strong male role model, someone who can offer guidance, encouragement, and a sense of stability. Through regular catch-ups, mentors can positively influence a young boy’s outlook, decisions, and sense of self, setting them on a path toward success.

“Being a mentor isn’t about being perfect—it’s about showing up,” says Chelsey Harnell, Program Manager of BBBS Auckland. “The best mentors aren’t superheroes; they’re everyday guys who take the time to hang-out, support, and show up. And when a young boy proudly talks about their Big Brother, you know you’ve made a meaningful impact.”.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland welcomes mentors from all backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life—because every child deserves someone to look up to. We strongly encourage men of Māori and Pasifika backgrounds to sign up, as many of our young boys are looking for mentors who share their culture and experiences. Whether you’re a teacher, a builder, a student, or a dad, what matters most is your willingness to show up and be there. A few hours a month can change a life—including yours.

Sign up today and be the Big Brother a young boy will brag about!

“Simply put, a small investment of your time generates so much value for your little brother or sister. It’s one of the greatest things you can do as a human without sacrificing your other commitments or relationships. You only need to commit just over a half of a percent (yes, 0.6%) of the hours in a week, of your time.” – mentor

Give back to your community this Christmas with BBBS Auckland.

Make a donation or buy a raffle ticket and you can win a Fresh Choice Hamper!

How to Enter

1. Make a donation on our website.
2. You can email us to secure your tickets.
3. Purchase a ticket from our staff such as our Mentor Coordinators.
4. Keep an eye on our social media to see where we will be selling tickets in person.

Terms and Conditions for Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland Raffle

Eligibility and Entry

1. The raffle is open to all individuals who purchase a ticket in compliance with these terms and conditions.
2. A maximum of 300 tickets will be sold, on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Tickets can be purchased:
   • In person from a Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland representative.
   • Online by donating at our website.
4. Ticket prices are:
   • 1 ticket for $5
   • 3 tickets for $10
5. Entrants must provide accurate contact information at the time of purchase.

Draw Details

1. The raffle will be drawn on 17th January 2025.
2. The draw will take place under the supervision of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland staff.
3. The winners will be contacted directly via the details provided upon ticket purchase.

Prizes

1. Details of the prize are as follows:
   • Hamper donated by Fresh Choice
2. The prize is non-transferable, non-exchangeable, and cannot be redeemed for cash.

Collection of Prizes

1. Winners are responsible for collecting their prizes. Prize must be claimed within 30 days of the draw date unless otherwise arranged.
2. Unclaimed prize may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner at the discretion of Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland.

Publicity

1. By entering the raffle, winners agree to their names being published on Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland’s social media channels and website.
2. Winner consents to being photographed and/or filmed for promotional purposes related to Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland.

General Rules

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland reserves the right to cancel or amend the raffle and these terms and conditions at any time.
2. Raffle participants agree to comply with all terms and conditions, as well as any additional rules communicated by Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland.

Liability

1. Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland is not responsible for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in the raffle or use of any prizes.
2. By purchasing a ticket, participants agree to release Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland from any liability related to the raffle.

Here at BBBS Auckland one of our matches is proving strong, just past their 4th year together. This mentoring success story is the match between Roman, ‘little’, and Guy, ‘big’.

Ten year old Roman is a social, funny young boy with an immense amount of energy. He had been diagnosed with ADHD early on and although this comes with its behavioral challenges, it has also contributed to a sprightly young boy full of hopes and dreams. Like most young boys, Roman loves to watch movies, watch Youtube, play with Lego, play soccer, and he likes helping his mum pick up the feijoas in the garden.

When Roman was six, his mother reached out to BBBS to see if he could be matched with someone reliable and consistent to mentor him. Roman needed a positive male role-model in his life to guide him, and teach him about empathy, communication, and respect, which would help shape his understanding of healthy masculinity.

Fortunately, because male mentors are harder to recruit and align with rangatahi, then recently added to the mentor waitlist was mentor Guy. Media professional Guy spent his early years in Puhoi and moved to Auckland when he was 6 years old. Guy told us he wanted to become involved in BBBS because he felt he could make a positive impact on a young boy’s life. He knew he could be the calm in the storm. Guy and Roman were then matched, and have since formed a friendship that has stood the test of time

During their mentor meets, Roman and Guy have loved exploring neighbourhood cafes and hanging out. Guy has been great at channeling Roman’s energy into match activities, being a listening ear, and being a calm stable caring adult for him. Guy has enabled many of Roman’s dreams such as going to the Sky Tower and continues to inspire Roman with new activities.

We’ve seen a big change in Roman since they’ve been matched – he has really settled down, and his teacher has noticed an improved change in his focus too. This is one of many successful matches we are inspired by, that has created meaningful change and a new outlook in a child’s life. Thank you for inspiring us Roman and Guy with your friendship and your commitment to BBBS Auckland mentoring.

If you think you can be the calm in a storm for a young person, become a mentor today, and make a difference in a child’s life.

Above: Photo of our Matchmaker, E-Commerce software business Lightspeed, standing with their sponsored match, Xonique (Mentee) and Lily (Mentor).

At Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland (BBBS), mentorship is at the heart of everything we do. Every day, we see the power of connection between young people and their mentors—relationships that grow, inspire, and change lives. But none of this would be possible without the dedicated work of Matchmakers, the passionate businesses and individuals who help us create these life-changing connections.

A Matchmaker is person or business who believes in the transformative power of mentorship and wants to make a real difference in their community. By becoming a Matchmaker, you fund the match between a young person, a mentee, in need of mentoring with a caring adult mentor for 12-months. As a Matchmaker you support your match to flourish, connect, and give the mentee and family an extra support person (s) including our wrap-around support. Matchmakers help us reduce our waitlist and ensure future tamariki can continue to receive live-changing mentorship.

Match making; The matching process is at the core of our success at BBBS. It’s not just about pairing any two people together. It’s about finding the right match—a mentor who will understand, support, and encourage a young person in ways that suit their individual needs and goals. Our Matchmakers support the matches between our mentees and mentors so they receive the best mentoring and support for 12-months.

Some of our matches you could sponsor:

We believe every one of our matches deserves a dedicated sponsor, showing them that there are caring individuals in the world who believe in them, who are invested in their future and success.

We work with our Matchmakers to activate their sponsorship through match meetings or events if they choose to. We welcome working with businesses that can give our mentees opportunities and experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise, beyond their match sponsorship.

You can read more about how businesses are helping Big Brothers Big Sisters support tamariki in their community through our Matchmakers program in the articles linked below.

NURTURING FUTURES: HOW BUSINESSES EMPOWER CHILDREN THROUGH MENTORSHIP

Coding the future: BBBS Mentees unlock tech at Lightspeed event.

1. Fill out the Matchmaker interest form.
2. Our team at Big Brothers Big Sisters Auckland will be touch.

If you have any questions, our Program Manager Chelsey can answer them for you and support you becoming a Matchmaker.

Phone: 022 379 7169
Email: [email protected]