Accra, Nov. 10, GNA - The Australian High Commission, with support from a number of institutions and individuals, has raised about 100 million cedis though a charity event to support the education of bright, needy children in the country.

A statement issued and signed by Mrs. Nuna Senaya, Information Officer at the Australian High Commission said the mission used the occasion of the Melbourne Cup, one of the world's premier horse races and an Australian institution to hold a charity event which was attended by about 100 people.

Guests, included leading Ghanaian business people, members of the Australian community in Ghana and of the diplomatic community. The money will go to the Hope for Kids Club, a non governmental organisation which provides needy children the opportunity to complete secondary or tertiary education.

Mr Jonathan Richardson, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the mission was using the occasion of a fun event, the celebration of the Melbourne Cup, to support a very worthwhile charity. The Australian community in Ghana had a long history of celebrating the Melbourne Cup through a charity event, and the High Commission was building on this to support the work of Hope for Kids Club, which had been selected as a result of its efforts to ensure that needy children who would otherwise not have the opportunity to complete their schooling were able to do so.

He said every 6 million cedis raised, through the event would cater for one child through one academic year.

=93This would make a vital contribution to Ghana, given the importance of education in alleviating poverty and promoting development.=94

He thanked Emirates, South Africa Airways, Virgin Nigeria, Accra Breweries, Woolworths, Somovision, Labadi Beach Hotel, Amarkine Amarteifio, Pergamon Joinery, Kojo Antwi and BCD travel for their generous support and said he was also grateful to those restaurants -Tribes, Chester's Place, Monsoon, Le Tandem, La Chaumiere, Noble House, Heritage and Old Bob's Place - for providing meal prizes for the raffles, auctions and competitions held at the event.

The Melbourne Cup is a horse racing event run over 3200 metres in Melbourne on the first Tuesday in November every year. The event is a great tradition in Australia and regarded as the most prestigious 93two mile=94 handicap race in the world. Japanese horse Delta Blues beat twenty-two other horses vying for prize money of 5.1 million Australian dollars in this year's Emirates Melbourne Cup. (1 Australian dollar is about 7,000 cedis)

More than 700 million people in 120 countries around the world are believed to have watched this year's event. 10 Nov. 06