Steps for Life to take a leap forward at the 2013 Grocery Charity Ball.

The 2013 Grocery Charity Ball will be will be the 10^th Ball staged by the Grocery Charity Ball Trust. Predictably, the competition to become the 2013 beneficiary was as combative as ever. So no surprise that a combative competitor like Monty Betham and his Steps for Life Foundation won out against more than eighty other aspirant not-for-profit organisations seeking to impress the judges.

Started in 2004, The Grocery Charity Ball Trust has been established to run the premier event on the grocery industry social calendar and direct the profits to charitable trusts in New Zealand. The annual event is held with the support of both Foodstuffs and Progressive, as well as the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council.

The presentations this time around were of the highest quality and much debate took place amongst the judging panel before agreement was achieved. Finally a decision was made to make Steps for Life the beneficiary of the 2013 Grocery Charity Ball.

In previous years the recipients have benefited to the tune of more than a quarter of a million dollars, and it is hoped that with the support of the grocery industry, Steps for Life will gain at least that amount of funding.

Steps for Life is a non-profit organisation founded by Monty Betham in 2009. The organisation is dedicated to reducing the rate of obesity which affects 1 in 12 New Zealand children and 1 in 4 New Zealand adults.

The cost of obesity in New Zealand is estimated to be around $303 million and research shows that a child with a high level of obesity is 60-70% more likely to become an obese adult.

Steps for Life works with overweight high school age youth and their families, providing assistance and support along with the knowledge and tools required to make sustainable changes that gives youth and their families the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle, eliminating the many risks associated with obesity.

The 12 week programme takes a holistic approach, focusing on the four key areas of physical activity, nutrition, psychological aspects, and family engagement, that fit together like a puzzle. If one piece is missing the puzzle is incomplete. The holistic approach provides a big picture of overall well-being and gives participants the opportunity to be healthier.

The Trustees of The Grocery Charity Ball are proud to support this worthy cause. Trust Chairman Don Graham commented: “The presentation by Monty Betham and sister, Chante Betham-Spencer, of Steps for Life was persuasive. This will be the 10^th Ball that we have staged and although it will be a lot of hard work for us and Steps for Life, the result in money raised and awareness for this worthwhile charity will certainly be well worth it.”

Nearly 700 people, the most ever, enjoyed the first night of Spring at a gala evening with their colleagues at the Langham Hotel in Auckland. And at the same time, raised a breath-arresting sum of money for the 2012 beneficiary charity – Look Good Feel Better – which pushed the total amount raised by the Charity Balls over the years to over $2milllion.

Ten New Zealand charities have now benefited from the generosity of the industry since the Grocery Charity Ball Trust was set up in 2004. It is generosity that has given these ten charities a huge hand up, enabling them to go on and achieve bigger and better things in the New Zealand community.

But it is not only the generous giving the evening has become synonymous with.

Like other years, the Grocery Charity Ball proved to be a fabulous night of fun, food and entertainment as repeat emcee – breakfast radio jock and comedian, Jeremy Corbett - did his best to keep the partygoers focused.

One of the focus-losing culprits was (as usual) the Grocery Charity Ball Trust Chair. "It was a GREAT night," parried a jocund Don Graham, "and it was fabulous that everyone gave such fantastic support to Look Good Feel Better. Every year, I keep saying that this year we had the best charity ever on board. And I'll say it again!"

The evening also feted one of the grocery industry's evergreen achievers – the remarkable Ron Vela. Chair of the Food & Grocery Council, George Adams, made a formal presentation to Ron Vela of a Lifetime Achiever Award – breaking from the Ball tradition that has seen three ‘Peters' take the award in the past - Peter Mitchell, Peter McClure and Peter Burton.


The 2013 Beneficiary is Steps for Life, a non-profit organisation founded by Monty Betham in 2009. The Foundation is dedicated to reducing the rate of obesity which affects 1 in 12 New Zealand children and 1 in 4 New Zealand adults.

You can see photos of the Ball at the Grocery Charity Ball Photo Stream by clicking here. Or view the official photo's on the QuikPix website.