Asia’s first premier destination resort and Gold Winner of 2018 Sports Industry Awards Asia Thailand’s Best Sports Event Venue, Laguna Phuket launched its inaugural Children First Charity Event (CFCE).
series of sporting and gastronomical fundraising activities had raised more than USD 53,200 for Children First Fund (CFF), in support of seven orphanages across Phuket, housing more than 400 underprivileged children.
This first edition marked Banyan Tree Group’s 25th anniversary on 26 September and will stay on Laguna Phuket’s event calendar to promote healthy lifestyle through sports and help children annually. Laguna Golf Phuket hosted a “Swing for Good” golf tournament, where 92 golfers enjoyed a round at the award-winning golf course, with tees laced with food, beverages and entertainment.
That evening, some 180 dinner guests gathered at Angsana Laguna Phuket for a unique “Battle of the Chefs” charity dinner experience. It included “live” entertainment from popular Fivera Pop-opera and Black & Blue’s bands, plus raffle and charity auctions featuring top prizes from Banyan Tree Group. Together, the golfers and dinner guests donated over USD 45,700.
A friendly “Children First Charity Football Match”was held at Bangtao Stadium, Baan Bangtao School, featuring footballers from Laguna Phuket, Banyan Tree and Kao Kon La Kao Foundation – a charity established by Thailand’s number 1 rock star Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai with fund-raising mission for hospitals in dire need of medical equipment.
Excitement levels ran high amongst the several hundred people from the local community, as they saw Thailand’s leading rock stars and celebrities, particularly “P. Toon” playing the full 60-minute match for the worthy cause. After the final whistle, “P. Toon” also donated his signed football boots to an impromptu “live” auction, raising another USD 4,572 towards CFF.
The flagship Banyan Tree Phuket raised another USD 2,775 from its 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner memory leaves donations. In addition, a Children First Charity Online Auction will run till Thursday 10 October. Public can continue to strongly support and bid for exciting offerings via www.Lagunaphuket.com/online-auction
Banyan Tree Holdings Executive Vice President & Laguna Phuket Managing Director, Ravi Chandran, enthused, “Laguna Phuket, a leading regional sports tourism promoter and vital arm of Banyan Tree Group, has hosted many sporting events including triathlons at our integrated resort. We leverage on them as fundraising platforms to continually improving livelihoods of the community where we are planted.”
“In conjunction with our Banyan Tree Group’s 25th Anniversary global sustainability initiatives, the Children First Charity Events will be the resort’s first charity sporting event series with the key objective of helping underprivilegedchildren in Phuket. After all, the sports organised (golf and football) are just for fun!”
